off-grid

Smartphones vs. Satellite Phones: Are Off-Grid Cell Phones Killing the Satellite Phone?

Apple launched Emergency SOS via satellite on the iPhone 14 series in late 2022 using Globalstar’s LEO network. Samsung Galaxy S25, launched in 2025, is the first commercially available phone to include Snapdragon Satellite for two-way messaging via Iridium’s LEO constellation, with Android 15 native support. Bullitt Group’s Bullitt Satellite Messenger rolled out in Q1 2023, enabling two-way SMS on the Motorola Defy 2 and CAT S75 via Skylo GEO satellites. Huawei Mate 60 Pro (2023) added two-way satellite texting and satellite voice calling via BeiDou’s Tiantong GEO network, requiring careful skyward pointing and delivering low bandwidth. By the end

22 July 2025

The Ultimate 2025 Satellite Phone Guide – Best Models Compared for Off-Grid Communication

The Iridium Extreme 9575 is Iridium’s flagship rugged handset (MIL-STD 810F, IP65) at about 5.5 × 2.4 × 1.1 in and 8.7 oz, priced around $1,200–$1,500 (listed $1,349 in Jan 2025) with built-in GPS and an SOS button. The Iridium 9555 is a smaller, rugged phone (about 5.6 × 2.2 × 1.2 in, 9.4 oz) offering 4 hours talk and 30 hours standby, 2.4 kbps data, typically $900–$1,100 (listed about $1,129 in early 2025), and no GPS or SOS. Iridium operates a 66-satellite LEO constellation delivering 100% global pole-to-pole coverage with low latency from roughly 780 km altitude. The IsatPhone

17 June 2025

2025 Guide · Emergency Preparedness · NYSE:GSAT · NYSE:IRDM · Off-Grid Communication · Satellite Phones · Tech Review

When the Grid Goes Dark: How Satellite Phones Keep Us Connected in Emergencies

Iridium operates 66 active LEO satellites in a cross-linked constellation, providing truly global coverage including the poles. Inmarsat uses 3–4 GEO satellites at about 36,000 km altitude to cover most of the globe from roughly 70°N to 70°S, and its IsatPhone 2 offers 8 hours of talk time. Globalstar runs about 48 LEO satellites to provide regional coverage (roughly 50°N to 50°S) with the Globalstar GSP-1700 handset. Thuraya uses two GEO satellites, with Thuraya 4-NGS launched in 2025 to expand service across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Australia, while it does not cover the Americas. Geostationary satellite networks

4 June 2025

Communication · Connectivity · Disaster Response · Emergencies · NASDAQ:AAPL · NASDAQ:IRDM · NYSE:GSAT · Satellite Phones