Quallifying for a sat phone subsidy

Hi Andy

I think you have to apply before you purchase the phone. The subsidy goes to the phone supplier and they are supposed to be on some list that the Government has of approved suppliers. Our satellite phone is also pre paid.

Who are you with on the satellite phone?

Phil

True

The application must be approved before the phone is purchased. Note: The subsidy is paid to dealers, who deduct it from the retail price of the phone to consumers.


Mh

I with TC Communications and have a Isatphone pro. I think it is from telstra but not sure.
Andy

Thanks Andy.

I didn't think there were any other pre-paids around. We are also with the same mob and have the same phone. You will find the standard GPS location email is excellent to send to the grand kids or rello's. Very easy for them to read. I also tested it to the "000" desk and spot on with a local number. You should be able to ring the local, to you, mob and get a number that they would prefer you to use. Other than that I will use the first son I get. They also do mind calling you back so that you do not run out of funds. It's a bit hard to recharge with woolies etc. So we are not concerned about not being able to ring "000".

Catchya

Phil

That was a BAD typo.

It should have read that "hey also do NOT mind calling you back . . . . ".

Phil

hello everyone,
stumbled across this thread after a bad experience renting a sat phone. nevertheless: i'm quite sure you do not need an aussie provider for your phone.
You can get a Canadian provider or one from any other country.
It's a global thingie.
Telstra or any other provider are just renters of the allmighty satellite bandwith up there in the sky.
I mentioned 'canada' because last time I looked they where the cheapest with pre-paid or not prepaid.It was on some dutch site from a guy who had nothing else to do then checking out the best/cheapest carrier while waiting for his boat to finish..for three month.

just checked , can't find the site.

anyway,
c-ya

The only thing that is a plus for Australian providers is that if they have a ground station in mainland Australia. If they do then they are supposed to give "000" dialling access. Outside Australia, possible like your Canadian one, ours and more, they are not required to give "000" access.

Cost was certainly the issue with us as we do not use it unless it's an emergency so we went for the no plan, ie NO (zero dollars) monthly fee, and prepaid. We don't have phones stuck to our ears and the kids can look after themselves. No no monthly cost if it isn't used.

Cheers

Phil

The problem is ssao, that on an international network our emergency services number 000 will not work, nor will the 131444 Australia wide (except Victoria) Police number, 132500 (State Emergency Services) most other 13--- and 1800--- numbers. Most travellers get a satellite phone for just these emergencies. When you're trapped in an overturned car, reaching for your satellite phone and your spectacles are smashed, it is not the time to find 000 won't work.

Motherhen

hmm, that's not good.
As someone mentioned above, you don't have carry these around to look interesting.

I wonder if travelers from overseas are made aware of these oddities in ie. Australia when buying them in where-ever-ever. Wouldn't be surprised if they weren't.

I'll def. make some inquiries in the Netherlands, ' cause somewhere on an ocean there is a guy coming this way with a sat phone who thinks he is safe, as probably a few more in the rest of the world.

I wonder though, if the distress/alarm/~ signals from a sat phone wouldn't be redirected to what ever is needed. With a cellular phone you immediately get an update when you enter a foreign country, so why not with a sat phone?
Telstra isn't a small operator,they once bought most of the public phones in western Europe.So they should be aware of this (these) thingie(s)

anyway,
thanks, I'll get back to you,


cheers,
Ssao

Hi ssao

I don't know how emergency services work in other countries, but here in Australia, our emergency number 000 only works on Australian satellite networks, such as Telstra Iridium. People with international networks such as Inmarsat need to make other arrangements, such as calling someone who can be readily reached by phone to handle the emergency for them, or have a list of suitable numbers for the area they are travelling in loaded into their speed dial. There is no alternative number for the 000 service. Royal Flying Doctor service has numbers which can be dialled from any networks in additional to 000 and 1800--- numbers.

Mh

Hi Mh,

Me thinketh that every signal which goes from my SP to the Iridium satellite consists of binary code which gives the processor in the satellite information about who we are, with whom we want to stay or be connected and if we use the words/names which are unwise to use since 9-11.
Since it knows above which part of the world it is, it knows that our 000,13~ etc doesn't mean ordering in pizza's but a distress call of a higher nature.

911, 0021,1121 are all stress numbers and should work anywhere in the world.

I'm almost () sure it will, otherwise all stress calls could be picked by some dude in Calcutta having eisbein mit knochen or from Germany one with a pita kofte.
Don't laugh, happened to me, it didn't work and within 35 minutes the police was there.Useless

Telstra, vodafone, kpn and the like are just go-betweens.
Iridium is owned by Motorola, which is owned by....yeah ..Google
ahum..creepy?
Yes!

Still waiting for reply from the US and NL though they're
probably skating

c-ya
Ssao

Almost forgot:
the reason we get(whish) a subsidy on satphones is that the Iridium system is making an enormous loss, because everyone is using cellular.

It won't take long before sat phones will get much cheaper, they need callers!

Maybe for a 49$$ a month as in the rest of the world with smartphones. Not very likely in Aus.
It is already cheaper, see top

THAT GOT ALL MUCKED UP. I HIT THE WRONG KEY LIKE CONTROL OR ALT AND THE WRONG STUFF GOT POSTED.

TRY THIS ONE

ssao

It would be impossible for a geosynchronous satellite above the equator to tell which country a signal comes from.

Not everyone can afford a mobile phone either. We do not use mobile phones. Neither does my pensioner sister and most of the other pensioners where she lives. They cannot afford it. They still rely on the landline. Try visiting some an public housing place for pensioners and see how many do not have mobiles.

One main reason that we get A subsidy on satellite phones is because a lot of people who live in remote areas do not have landlines and to get it to them would cost thousands. It's far cheaper to get them satellite subsidies.

I would say that once they cover every part of Australia with mobile phone coverage it may change. But until then we have the subsidy to compensate for lack of landlines.

Phil

That was strange folks. I ended up with two posts making it look like I had already posted. Thats mu error for today. Okay? And it is still raining and we have our clubs 4WD show this weekend. I think I will take the boat.

Phil

Hi Ssao

What you need to find you anywhere is either a PLB (personal locator beacon) or a Spot Messenger. These can send out an emergency call, with no details about the emergency.

For a summary of the different communications options in Australia: Communications

000 will not do anything on the wrong network. Inmarsat are trying to resolve this issue for Australian customers on their network. Emergency calls 000 do not provide an alternative number.

We chose a satellite phone on Iridium so if a medical emergency occurred, i could at least talk about what to do with the Royal Flying Doctor in the interim. Having the phone proved essential when we had a breakdown and had to order parts, which were then lost in transit and we had to get a duplicate consignment sent - we were in a remote area, and had to travel 200 kilometres to the nearest pick up point when the consignment arrived.

I have not researched other countries as that is outside of my charter.

Motherhen

MH

Similar here. Broke a shockie on Cape York and the phone helped identify a supplier, then the part and lastly arrange delivery to a roadhouse down the road. Bye the way we now carry a front and back spare.

Storming like blazes here and we have a 4WD show on this weekend. And both of us volunteered. Oh well. What are dirazabones for anyway.

Catchya

Phil

Hi Phil - Have fun in the wet!

Cheers

Mh

Hi Shakes

Very true. Very true. When we got it we did not even consider travelling nor even being able to afford the 4wd. It was not until the 23rd December 2008 that we thought of getting the 4WD. That was the day I was given my diagnoses. Merry Christmas Phil. And the day I made up my bucket list.

But I did not start this thread to justify getting the phone. It was to show how we legally qualified for the subsidy and hopefully aid someone else get the subsidy.

So please do not challenge our usage nor need for it. That is our business and whether it is correct for you, is your business.

Okay.

Thanks

Phil

It wasn't really meant as a direct critiicism of you, I have travelled with people who have capable phones that handicap them with below par service providers, & have never understood why.
I hope you get your sat phone, but if my brother's experience is anything to go by, they are quite strict with their requirements before they hand out the subsidy.
Good luck with your bucket list!

Hi shakes

My report of intended travels was extremely complex, long winded and full of places they would never have heard of. I actually planned it that way because knowing that Easter was upon us they would not feel like reading too much of long winded complex submission. Human nature is like that every Friday as well. Know what I mean!!!!

Not that I am long winded either. Am I!!!

Yeah. My words were a bit rough I suppose but like you it was not meant to be a challenge. It was more of a comment directed at the usual reader who sits out there and looks for any little thing to "get him". You know the type. They drop in half way through a conversation and pick one word in a sentence without looking at the bigger picture.

Catchya

Phil

G'day Mother. The joke with mobile coverage here in the city is that places like Lesmurdie and Kalamunda have total mobile coverage black spots irrespective of who your carrier is. So technically speaking you'd qualify in those areas. I drove down Lesmurdie Rd recently and I dropped in and out of range about 5 times over a 4km distance, the bloke calling me had to continually phone me back. Welshpool Rd's the same.

Hi MH

That's what I thought so I rang them and asked. Nope. It's out of mobile coverage of the current provider. I double checked that the old brain heard correctly. They do not expect people to change as they would be starting to get into a difficult area where most mobile plans could be contract bound.

I don't know about non Vodafone customers getting a mobile phone now and then applying. He did ask how long we had been with Vodafone. Maybe it has something to do with being with that service provider BEFORE the subsidy was introduced. Not sure but that makes sense. We have been with Vodafone since the mid 90's when they first started.

Nice to catch up again. 7 days on Lord Howe and it rained on 6 days. Ggggrrrr. The sea was that rough that boats were not permitted to leave the harbour. No fishing or tours outside. I rode a bike!!! Only been 45 years since the last time.

Take care

Phil

Mmm - maybe call again and someone else will read it differently. Then again, most people have a land line so that only leaves the nomads, who have Next G and often a satellite phone already (obtained with or without subsidy according to their circumstances).

I educated a Telstra call centre person (Australian) when i re-activated our sat phone in 2009. As the sat phone department was impossible to reach and impossible to deal with, he was keen to find out how to activate it for me (and he did - on the spot after seeking supervisor help - the good man). "But why oh why do you want a satellite phone when Next G covers 99% of the country?" He first asked. I had to refer him to the Telstra map to see that the Gibson Desert had no network coverage. He then agreed that it was 99% of the population and not many people live out in the Gibson Desert. He just hadn't ever thought of it that way.

The again here in the heart of the South West at my family farm (where son now lives) when we had the old analogue brick mobiles, we got spasmodic cover on high points. Then they went to CDMA and we lost it all. Eventually they expanded CDMA and we finally had coverage - just in time for them to shut CDMA down. Now with Next G, the whole farm is in a gap of the lace of Next G coverage on the map. Very hit and miss coverage if any.

Cheers

Mh

With that luck I would buy a lottery ticket. It's bound to change.

Recently there was a heated discussion about driving lights. I rang up and spoke to an inspector and another "good" forumite contacted them and got the opposite result. Yet the RTA staff had both quoted the same regulation. That is what is happening when they do not teach good english and grammar. And most importantly comprehension!!! People just do not know how to write. Writing in the same style as speaking is tantamount to declaring war when you do not do it properly.

So it can be pot luck when taking a "modified" car over the RTA pits. Our car got knocked back when we transferred the registration to name and the ACT after purchasing it with NSW registration. Yet the "blingy fancy truck" in front of us with almost black windows and a different inspector made it through. Go figure!

Bed time for me.

Goodnight

Phil

And Phil.... maybe you should look at Telstra Next G for you mobile phone.

Vodafone came and seen us a work trying to get us to change over our 8 mobile with Telstra to them....... they said they have 1% less coverage then Telstra and in the future BLAH BLAH BLAH and coverage should not be a concern, when I said yeah great will sign up if you put into writing that you said..... that was the last we heard from them.

I don't want nor use my mobile even at home so damned if I am going to pay for something I do not use. Sorry but no thanks. Look at the cost that a new phone plus the plan they demand is. I do not have a unlimited budget. It is better putting that money into making the car safer than getting a mobile phone and then having to pay full price for a satellite phone anyway.

The phone is basically for me, if I have a problem like a have a cerebral haemorrhage, which is likely. It is only for emergency. Why? Do you think I do not qualify. As a fully practising catholic, I firmly believe that I am not stealing for you nor the government.

We also heard the recent "BLAH BLAH BLAH " from Vodaphone and wonder how they can lie straight in bed at night. No matter how they journalistically word it.

I have a mate who got wounded in Vietnam who lives near Alexandra, Victoria. He is only 2kms out of town, and no mobile access from his house, and has a satellite phone for emergencies because the phone line packs it in all the time. I wish to hell that he got the subsidy. He is heaps worse off than I am. At least he got assistance with the internet and now uses VOIP.

Cheers mate

Phil

I just reread this post and it looks like I am attacking you Olcoolone.

Not so mate.

Phil

I asked them about that one also. You do not have to prove it.

Any receipt we get on trip we keep. Even take a photo of the park registration form. Like you and a lot of others we are sceptical and cautious. A photo can tell a lot especially if it is of a track sign in the Vic High Country and has a date/time stamp on it or if digital has the same in the photo properties. There are heaps of ways to show where you are and a little imagination can help. Not to cheat just to make it easy for you.

Not hard if you put your mind to it. I know some smarty will say that you got someone else to take the photo for you. Well put yourself in the photo and they will be right. But you were the one standing next to the Windjana Gorge camping sign and you have the date and time in the photo.

Really. It's a piece of cake.

Phil

its easy to change the date/time in a digital camera-"its a piece of cake"

Hi fisho

The date stamped on the photo data can tell you a lot about where you were when it was taken. It can also help you identify a photo for your blog or even a printed history in a photo album.

Why then stuff around with it to hide the fact that you were not where you said you would be when the proof is not needed. Total waste of time.

Phil

Hi Jim

I need 24/7 coverage. Doctors orders. I won't into details. Any loss of coverage is unacceptable. Regardless of cost, a satellite phone is the closest to giving that out of HF Radio and mobile phones. Even HF is not reliable enough. Believe me after being the Australian HF champion in amateur radio HF contests for several years I know what I am talking about.

Thanks for the vote for 3G anyway.

Cheers

Phil

Geoff

No good to us. Iridium did not have prepaid when we got the phone.

Phil

True, Iridium don't do pre-paid.

Oh well, just a thought.

Best wishes,

Thats fine Geoff

I think people have lost what I said at the start. The aim was to show how I qualified for the satellite phone study. And thereby hopefully help someone else qualify for it.

Cheers

Phil

Hi Phil,
You are absolutely correct, human nature just wants to offer solutions.

Funny thing isn't it?

Your basic information is great, thanks for taking the time.

I like your profile comment "Grey hair is hereditary, you get it from children". I have the ultimate revenge on our sons.

THEY ARE ALL GOING GREY. HaHaHaHa

Phil

Hi Joe

I am confused.

In one place you imply that a Telstra mobile is all that one need and then elsewhere you say one should have a satellite phone for the kids safety when living remote. And I gather your safety as well.

I have already explained elsewhere why we have Vodafone. I also explained why it was important for me to have 24/7 communications.

This thread was also meant to show how others may find it easier to qualify for the subsidy. Nothing to do with me getting a phone. If it was my choice I would toss the old mobile phone "out the window".

What's your point Joe?

Phil

Bob

I would doubt that "ticking the box" would work now. I don't know what it was like 7 years ago. No 3G then so now they are a lot tighter. When I asked about the vacant areas with Vodafone he said that I was fine with Vodafone especially for the Adelaide drives as well. I gather that he had a look at their data. But that I would have a hard time getting it if I had a 3G service.

The application form is 11 pages long and a witnessed signature at the end.

Phil

Hi Mark

Maybe I should have said this earlier. We already have the sunsidy. Got it almost 18 months back and carry the phone in the car when ever we go on a drive.

It's been used twice. Once to the mob who man "000" locally to test our emergency procedures, not to "000" though and then again to myself a standard inbuilt GPS location email showing our location so that I could show the grand kids how to see where we were when we sent the email.

Thanks for the best wishes anyway. I believe it took just a few days to get the approval.

Phil

maybe you should have said this earlier?
quote-"I was just looking at the satellite phone subsidy and though that I would pass on an often forgotten qualification."
thats how the thread was started.

Does it really matter. I think not.

I would bet you that you would have trouble finding just one contributor to any forum who reads ever bit of a thread before posting their own ideas. Like I said "who cares". The more the merrier providing it is all positive and not nit picking or anti social.

At least some new people I have not met before dropped in and said their bit.

Phil

another point with this is that while you may exploit the use of Vodafone and their poor coverage, dialing 112 in an emergency will give you coverage via ANY provider including Telstra.

For me! It is certainly in the spirit for medical reasons. My doctors want me to have 24/7 phone communications otherwise they will not approve me "going bush". I was told that a doctor's report would not help.

Maybe there are others who would love to "go bush" but cannot because they do not have proper comms. Maybe now after reading this thread they will be able to qualify and also enjoy the bush. So I passed it on.

Phil