BlueCosmo Inmarsat IsatPhone 2.1 Satellite Phone Kit (SIM Included), unlocked - Global Coverage - Voice, SMS, GPS Tracking, Emergency SOS - Prepaid and Monthly Service Plan Options

We purchased two Inmarsat IsatPhone 2 satellite phones (along with a basic monthly subscription plan through BlueCosmo) so that I will be able to make contact with my family in case of emergency while traveling (which I do frequently for work). During emergencies cellular networks might go down due to power outages or damage to the physical infrastructure of the network, or be saturated by callers using the network to contact their loved ones. Not all plan details etc. are super-evident when researching satphones, so I will provide some additional information based on my experience so far. 1) I learned that though only a very small number of satellite phone networks exist (with coverage in the Americas - only 3: Inmarsat, Iridium, and Globalstar), all calling plans are sold through a secondary vendor (in our case, BlueCosmo). 2) We chose Inmarsat for a combination of reasons. Price was one factor (the phones & minimum monthly calling plans are cheaper than Iridium), plus near global coverage (Globalstar only provides coverage in the Americas). Apparently, service is absent at the poles - but I don't have any antarctic travel expeditions planned (yet). 3) The biggest difference between Inmarsat & Iridium is that Inmarsat uses a small number of very high geostationary satellites. This means that you need to have 'line of sight' towards the equator to use your phone. I wondered if this would mean that at high latitudes we would need to be in a large open area to call, but in the northeast U.S. (at least) this was not the case. I was able to call easily from within a tree-enclosed driveway, This must mean the satellites are very high, and that the LOS required is thus at a fairly steep angle! 4) After purchasing the handset (which is pre-packaged with a sim card), you need to select a pre-paid minutes or a monthly post-paid calling plan. We chose the latter - but the most basic plan, which is about $35/month. We decided on a monthly calling plan because we purchased the phones for emergency use and we do not know when emergency will strike. All pre-paid plans expire, and the costs are comparable. (For instance, the cost for a 6 month pre-paid calling plan with the minimum number of minutes is not too different from 6 x $35.) 5) The phone itself is kind of fun to use. For those accustomed to the latest smartphone (but older than the age of 35) it may inspire nostalgia because of its physical similarity to a cell phone from the 1990s! Entering contacts, etc., is an adventure. 5) What can I say - the phones work great. Call clarity is similar to a cell phone, and the phones can send & receive SMS and short (max 160 character) emails. I have used the phone to call land lines, U.S. cell numbers, and other Inmarsat phones. So far, they are serving their purpose. I feel more comfortable traveling know that I will always be able to reach my family in case of emergency & vice versa.

2/9/17 This seems to be a good sat phone. As I mentioned in another review both Inmarsat and Iridium have their pros and cons. This phone and it's prepaid service seem more cost effective to have activated year round. $400.00 a year which is way cheaper than a cell phone bill. That's if the prepay plans don't change in the future. Setup was easy and straight forward, I think it was maybe a couple of hours before Bluecosmo had it activated with the prepaid SIM card that came with it. Also buying off of the Bluecosmo site is easy too, once everything is activated. The Inmarsat IsatPhone 2 is as described, it seems like it will hold up too normal use and wear and tear. It comes with all the extras you need as well. You may want order a backup battery just in case. Connecting to the satellite system itself was easy and takes a few seconds longer over the 9575 Extreme but not a deal breaker by any means. The first call I placed did take 3 attempts before it dialed out. The downside to the phone to me is the antenna which definitely has to be deployed to make a connection. It is worth noting that I did receive a signal in my house, like mentioned in the 9575 Extreme review. To me the biggest factor on which phone to pick is price point, as both the Isatphone 2 and the 9575 Extreme are solid products. There seems to be more accessories for the Iridium stuff though. For light usage I would stick with Isatphone 2 unless budget is a non issue. I did a lot of reading on both systems and ultimately ended up buying both and activating both. Since I have the Extreme too, that's the one I keep with me because of the convenient size but I would have no issue using either one. I have not had to use the them in an extreme situation yet so I can't speak to that but both seem good so far. Also don't let the SOS button be a determining factor on which one to buy, as both the Isatphone 2 and 9575 Extreme have the same feature and both are easy to set up with GEOS. I will update this review if anything changes, I thought some of this information may be useful to someone looking to buy a satphone.

It takes a while to get satellite signal, and has a 1 second delay when making calls, but it is a great tool to have.

I ordered this phone because of what hurricane Maria did to our communications system in Puerto Rico in September 2017. Because of system's impact, my family in the mainland (USA) weren't able to contact us in Puerto Rico for 3 weeks. After chatting with Blue Cosmo techs I decided the Isatphone2 was the best for me as well as a monthly fee instead of prepaid. They also told me how to make calls from and to the Isatphone2 as well as sending and receiving texts messages. I tested the Isatphone2 in Arizona: get the satellite signal and works perfect. Today, from my home in Puerto Rico make a call and send a text from my Isatphone2 to my son's cellphone in Arizona. Call quality was great. Easy! Now we feel safe having the Isatphone2. Because of the monthly fee instead of prepaid my Isatphone2 is available to use 24/7. You never know when an Emergency will come. I never thought about a satellite phone before, but that hurricane opened my eyes. I was prepared with doors and windows shutters, food, for a month, a 600 gallon water tank, meds, first aid kit, games, a generator, etc. Have a portable radio and All our cell phones were ready and charged: useless because ALL communications were down three hours after the hurricane hit us (hit us for 36 hours!). Be connected gives family peace of mind especially when emergencies and catastrophes can occur any minute and you are TOTALLY incomunicated: no radio, no TV, no land lines, no cell phones no Internet. I am very pleased with my Isatphone2. It never leaves my purse. Peace of mind.

I used this while camping in the mountains to communicate with friends and family back home. Always good to have in case of emergencies. It's expensive but it works for the most part if you have no trees blocking the sky.

I received the phone and was not able to establish service. During this initial time I received a bill for minutes used and a statement. I put a call into Blue Cosmo and was not able to reach a technician. I left a vm and then received a call back. We traded calls a few times. I finally spoke to the tech and she told me I needed to remove the battery to reboot the phone and locate satellites. I was able place a call via satellite network in my front yard. Fast forward a couple of weeks I tested the phone in the everglades. I placed a total of four calls in the first location with one connected call. I then drove to another location and was not able to place a call. Frustrated I have decided to return the unit. I bought this phone for emergencies up to seventy miles off shore in the gulf and for hurricanes as well. I am going to consider other products.

No need to buy a card with minutes. Minutes can be added to the card that comes with it. It seems to be a good tool for off roading in the desert. Great satellite service here in Az.

I've used globalstar phones before, and this inmarsat one, easily outperforms globalstar on its best day. Clarity is better than iridium as well. Where I live in northern Utah it works well even with tall buildings/mountains to the south. Just know the first time you set it up, it may take a bit. But from then on it seems fast to lock onto the satellite. The phone itself looks and feels government grade. I'm pretty sure you could through it off a 3 story building and it would survive. The weight in hand is lighter than expected for how rugged it feels. Blue Cosmo was professional and got me set up minutes after I got the package on a Saturday. Overall this phone won't disappoint.

Simple to use and setup Reasonable tariff pricing, extremely good service.

Ottime tempististiche ottimo imballo. L ho ricevuto in due giorni. Il telefono e grazioso leggero e funzionale interfaccia utente per l attivazione sim eccellente scarseggia di menù forse è l unica pecca ottime le proposte di abbonamento e di ricaricabile il prezzo dell' articolo è un po' più alto rispetto all acquisto diretto ma sicuramente più economico che dai fornitori italiani

Telephone très bien, réception même avec des maison a cote. Recherche satellite relativement rapide. Pour blueCosmo géniale activation de la carte très facile et carte prépayée abordable. Je recommande

Delivered complete and on time. Activation of SIM card within 12 hrs. Perfect