Reviewer:
Canada Satellite Reviews
from Calgary, AB Canada
One year after the debut of the Inmarsat Isatphone Pro, we have a compiled some pros and cons for this satellite phone. Pro - Attractive price point: at half the price its only competitor (Iridium) in North America and low airtime rates the Isatphone offers great value. Con - Limited coverage: With only 2 satellites covering the Americas (1 over Hawaii and 1 over the west coast of Africa) the phone in unreliable in the Canadian north. As well, you need direct line of sight to one of these 2 satellites, so the phone is typically useless in mountainous areas. Conclusion - while the phone offers excellent value and coverage in areas near the equator, the phone is of very limited use in northern parts of Canada and as such can not be considered a reliable lifeline in these areas.