Inmarsat has recently introduced the IsatPhone Pro which is their first handheld satellite phone, but Inmarsat is not new to the satellite phone market in fact they basically started the satellite phone market. Iridium is no youngster either in fact they are a market leader and the only satellite phone provider giving “total” planetary coverage including the North and South pole. No other satellite phone provider can say that.
First we can start with the price which is always important. The IsatPhone Pro satellite phone market price ranges from $595.00 to $649.00, if you don’t count the cut throat discounters out there… they normally never stay in business very long. The Iridium 9555 satellite phone market price ranges from $1295.00 to $1395.00 again you may find it cheaper if you want to deal with the cut throat dealers out there. The Iridium 9555 is currently double the price of the IsatPhone Pro. It is not known if Iridium will drop their hardware prices to compete.
The sizes of the two phones are about the same, the IsatPhone Pro is 170mmL x 54mmW x 39mmD weighing 9.8 oz, while the Iridium 9555 is 143mmL x 55mmW x 30mmD weighing 9.4 oz… making the Iridium 9555 a bit smaller.
Even though Inmarsat advertises the IsatPhone Pro as rugged it has a plastic like appearance. The battery cover does not fit well and the socket covers are flimsy and will most likely break off with use. The Iridium 9555 is more rugged than the IsatPhone Pro. Iridium learned their lesson with earlier models like the 9550. You must have a very rugged phone if it is to hold up because satellite phones are normally used outdoors. Even though the IsatPhone Pro can be placed on its side with the antenna vertical making it able to receive a call, it does not sit vertically very well. The Iridium has no problem stilling naturally on its end it fact it can receive a call with the antenna down where the IsatPhone cannot receive a call unless the antenna is deployed.
The IsatPhone Pro does have a nice color display where the Iridium 9555 does not. The IsatPhone Pro also has a more user friendly software over the Iridium 9555 which is more smart phone like. The IsatPhone Pro does have a GPS display view and messaging where the Iridium 9555 does not offer this service. Bluetooth is offered with the IsatPhone Pro and not offered with the Iridium 9555. This can be a big plus because in some cases you can place the IsatPhone Pro in a location like a window where it can receive a signal and give you the freedom to move around indoors without losing a signal. USB charging is offered on the IsatPhone Pro and not on the Iridium 9555. This can allow charging from other sources like a computer or battery backup box.
Speaker phone is standard on the Iridium 9555 while it is an option for the IsatPhone Pro.
Let’s compare the two networks. The IsatPhone Pro has to get a GPS fix before it registers with the network this can take as long as 5 minutes where the Iridium 9555 usually can register within 30 seconds or sooner. As Inmarsat adjusts their spot beams it is believed the amount of time the IsatPhone Pro takes to register may be reduced.
Once the IsatPhone Pro does register the call quality is good and text messaging works. While moving around talking can cause a higher rate of dropped calls over the Iridium 9555. With any satellite phone if you lose your line-of-site you can lose your signal dropping the call. The Iridium 9555 seems to have a stronger signal plus because the Iridium constellation has 66 low-earth-orbiting satellites (LEO) Iridium has path diversity. The 66 satellites are constantly orbiting the earth and you are likely to have line-of-site to more than one satellite if you have enough view of the sky. This reduces the amount of dropped calls. The IsatPhone Pro uses three I-4 Inmarsat geosynchronous satellites that serve the whole earth which in most cases even if you have a 100% view of the sky you will only have one satellite in view giving line-of-site. Block the signal to that one satellite means a dropped call. As Inmarsat adjusts their spot beams it is believed the signal will strengthen reducing dropped calls. When Inmarsat introduced the Mini-M in 1997, customers experienced dropped calls, but within a year service improved dramatically.
The Iridium service for the IsatPhone Pro cost less than the Iridium service. Post paid monthly service contracts for the IsatPhone Pro can be as short as three months where the Iridium post paid service requires a one year contract.
Even though the IsatPhone Pro is having some minor service issues, it is believed within a year those will be worked out. In turn the IsatPhone Pro is the lowest price handheld satellite phone on the market that provides full service. |
