My husband and I will be hunting in Zambia in August. I'm getting ready to rent a satellite phone. We have rented satellite phones through Outfitter Satellite, Inc. in the past with good results in 2005, '06 and '07 for use in Moz, Tanz, & Zim. I'm just wondering if there is any service located in the US that would be a better option? If not, I'll go with them again. However, I've noticed their prices have increased (like everything else).

Thanks for any input, regards, D. Nelson

quote:

Originally posted by D. Nelson:
My husband and I will be hunting in Zambia in August. I'm getting ready to rent a satellite phone. We have rented satellite phones through Outfitter Satellite, Inc. in the past with good results in 2005, '06 and '07 for use in Moz, Tanz, & Zim. I'm just wondering if there is any service located in the US that would be a better option? If not, I'll go with them again. However, I've noticed their prices have increased (like everything else).

Thanks for any input, regards, D. Nelson

Most economic, (around 0.90 cents/min. anywhere in the world), excellent connectivity for
East/South Africa.(www.thuraya.com)
Might be of interest.

Thuraya are great sat phones, but I'm pretty sure they don't cover all of Zambia and they certainly don't work in South Africa.

I'd recommend you find out exactly where you'll be hunting and then check the Thuraya site to see if their phones will work there.

http://www.thuraya.com/en/arti...huraya-coverage.html

Hi D. Nelson

Here is a the link again to Outfitter Phones, proberbly best to stay with the tried and trusted !!

Outfitter Satellite Phones

WE are based (deep bush) in Zambia near Kafue Nartional Park and have been useing an Inmarsat Mini M Worldphone by Nera for about 10 years now without any issues. It is now dated and older technology, so they will no doubt have more modern portable devices as our phone is about the size and shape of a laptop

Have a wonderful trip

Cheers, Peter

I used the Thuraya in Zambia. It did not work in Lusaka, but did in the Laungwa Valley. Lower Lupande area. It worked very good. I used outfitters Satellite.

Well, we use Andy Cool at Explorer Satellite: we own an Iridium and BGAN unit and they seem to work well where ever we are

I used Thuraya in the Empty Quarter a few years ago and it was a godsend.

I hired a sat phone today from a place in Dubai for use in Zim and they recomended Iridium. It seems very simple to operate and it had 100% world cover - so they claim.

Apparently the Thuraya coverage is poor in Zim.

Contact GMPCS.

D. Nelson - I can recommend Andy Cool, of Explorer Satellite Communications. He has helped us with a satphone and has been terrific to deal with. Here's his contact info:

Andy Cool
Explorer Satellite Communications
1975 E. Sunrise Blvd., Suite 825
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33304
Tel. (866) 662-2665
Tel-2: (954) 763-8650, x101
Email: acool@explorersatellite.com
Website: www.explorersatellite.com

Andy will give you good advice, as well as the right phone for a good price, if you want one.

Thanks to all for the recommendations. I'm ready to start calling around.

Regards, D. Nelson

I've used both Iridium and Thurya phones and find the Thurya better as far as avoiding dropped calls. Of course, you have to be in an area where that service is available.
I too have rented from Andy Cool and he's a nice guy and delivers what you want at a slightly discounted price for SCI members. That said, be careful with his request to send your credit card info to by fax. Someone in his office got my numbers last year and then activated a credit card with them. I had 118 gas, Wal-Mart, and Mexican restaurant charges in the Ft Lauderdal/Miami area totaling about $8,900 before I found it and shut it down. Fortunately Visa refunded every penny, but I hope that Andy has changed his payment system as a faxed credit card document just isn't the way to go.

That's scary!

Thanks, D. Nelson