Have you ever thought about how you can communicate securely when cell phone towers and landlines all go dark?
Of course, most preppers have considered HAM radios and devices like that, but today, I’ll tell you why I think you should add a SAT phone to your preparations, and share the model I personally use.
Here’s three reasons you should consider adding a SAT phone to your preps…
First, is a total “grid down” SHTF situation. The end of the world as we know it would certainly include the failure of the cell and landline infrastructure…
Because a SAT phone works using orbiting satellites and not cell towers or phone lines – it shouldn’t be affected by failures on the ground (at least initially). In fact, I was thinking about this the other day, and if the U.S. got hit with an EMP attack – as long as the blast was below the orbiting Satellite – I think – it would still function.
Second, it’s not just a total SHTF scenario that can cause normal means of communication to fail…
A SAT phone is extremely useful even during “mundane” natural disasters like hurricanes and earthquakes. For example, during Hurricane Katrina, 70% of cell phone towers in the disaster area went down, leaving millions of people unable to contact their loved ones. During Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, all the cell towers went down, so the only way you could have communicated was with a SAT phone.
Sometimes, during emergencies, even if the towers are still functioning properly they can get overloaded. If there are too many people trying to use the same cell towers – calls won’t go through.
Finally, a SAT phone can be used in your daily life if you regularly venture into remote areas not covered by normal cell service. They can be extremely valuable if you camp or hunt in the middle of nowhere, where your cell phone won’t work. Or you sail or take a boat out where your cell is useless.
As long as you have a clear picture of the sky, you should be able to use your SAT phone anywhere on earth.
What Are The Downsides To Satellite Phones?
While SAT phones are great, probably the biggest downside is the cost.
You can expect to pay at least $500 for a good satellite phone.
And in addition to that, you’re going to have to either pre-pay or signup for a monthy charge for “minutes” just like a regular cell phone.
So, it’s not cheap, but for me personally, I think of it as another “insurance bill” that I simply pay each month.
And if you consider what it costs compared to guns and ammo… it’s really not that much. It’s like buying another affordable handgun and some ammo each year.
The Best Satellite Phone For Preppers
I personally use and recommend the BlueCosmo Inmarsat 2.1 Satellite Phone Kit.
As you can see from the image below, with this SAT phone, you can get coverage pretty much anywhere in the world (it looks like if you’re traveling to Antarctica, then you may still have problems communicating… but I don’t plan to ever go there anyways).
If you do need coverage at either the extreme north or south pole, then you should check out the Iridium Extreme by the same company.
I found setting up and using the Inmarsat to be relatively painless using the “Quick Start Guide”.
I opted to sign up for a monthly charge for the minutes, but I may switch to a prepaid plan in the future, once I figure out how much I use the service.
I’ve had the phone for almost one year now, and every call I’ve had to make has gone through. So no problems there…
One thing I like about the service is that I recently got an email from the company, reminding me to occasionally make a test call and they even provided a phone number to call to test the phone – free of charge. That’s good because I don’t take the phone with me everywhere, and I rarely use it, so it’s smart to take it out and test it every once in a while.
When you buy the phone on Amazon, you can select what type of SIM Card you want included. If you want the monthly charge, you can get that one, or you can select a prepaid SIM with the number of minutes you want.
In short, if you’re looking for a good Satellite phone to add to your preps, then I recommend and use the Inmarsat.
What makes you think the satellites will still be operational? They may the first to go in the event of a CME or HEMP attack. If lucky and the grid is hit by a cyber attack only maybe they would still be operational for local coverage. Also consider the cost of the phones and service. I doubt if too many of us could afford it. Good luck!!
The way I understand it… Anything orbiting the earth is vulnerable to CME. That comes from the sun and it will be just about impossible for a satellite to to avoid it.
Details are foggy in my 72 year old mind but — The TELSTAR satellite and many others failed after some event quite a few years ago.
As far as $500 being expensive for a phone, have you been the the phone stores lately wanting to buy a phone for cash money? Some are quite pricey.
And he forgot that if an EMP attack..that those companies keep the customer “base” on computer servers! So if computers go down..so does your “paid” service!! They MAY work..but the computers say who can have service!
Lest we forget… HEMP or CME events are not the only reason to consider a satellite phone. There are ‘regular disasters like earthquake, flood, and even mundane automobile failures occurring outside of traditional cell coverage.
I’m not real sure I would like to send texts with ICD9 keyboards, but it should work.
Telstar failed after STARFISH PRIME and a few other nuclear explosions fried the transistors inside.
While I can see the advantage of a satellite phone in a normal world when cell phone coverage isn’t available where you are, I have to wonder about a SHTF scenario where all cell phones and landlines are down. Who the heck are you going to call? Their phones are down. So, unless you buy all your family members SAT phones too, you will have no communications with them.
Am I so obtuse that I don’t understand what am I missing here?
Exactly what I was thinking. Who the hell are you going to call?
EMP extends radially in all directions from a blast that produces it. It goes up, down, sideways – etc. Satellites are not immune to EMP just because of their position. They may be hardened otherwise though.
Will 1st Responders have Sat Phones? Even if they do, will they be like those in New Orleans, LA during Hurricane Kitrina and be tending to their own families, before reporting to work. That is not a criticism, just a concern. But, the Sat Phone is another tool in the bag, even if all you can do is leave a recorded message. You should be prepared to survive for a week or two alone or in your group, anyway. Maimed or severely injured individuals probably will not survive. It will be a time of “Survival of the most fit”. If the Sat Phone doesn’t provide communications during a crisis, maybe it can be repurposed… a trot-line weight, perhaps.
I’m new to this idea, but have been considering having a Sat phone because we often drive through areas of “no service”. Can I call people that only have cell phones or is it only Sat phone to Sat phone. For instance, while on a cruise, you have to buy the cruise lines cell service. Could I use a Sat phone to be in touch with family who only have cell phones without buying the cruise lines service?
I live In a no cell service area. If I purchased a sat. Phone could I use it to call other phones that are not sat. Phones. Everyone I know uses Verizon service which Is useless to me unless I am traveling.
Also can you give me am est. cost for monthly service if this phone would work for me. At eighty years of age I do need a phone of some kind.( don’t know how to use smoke signal either)
I am very serious about this, just need more correct information. Thanks
for the different service packages and their cost, go to http://www.bluecosmo.com
If everything does go down, who are you going to call?
Ghost Busters!!
I think if one is not bugged out and on the move you would be much better served long term by a good military surplus HF radio setup. You can communicate all around the world on just a few watts of power.
With an above ground nuclear explosion or an EMP, the blast IS NOT SHAPED LIKE A CONE FROM THE BLAST SITE. An nuclear blast above the earth will be circular in shape, because there is nothing to force it in one direction as in a surface blast. So anything that is within the direction of the circular blast will be destroyed. In other words, all satellites in direct line of the earth will be destroyed. Certainly all satellites that are positioned directly above the United States and those out to the edges of the earth will be destroyed.
Yes a SAT phone will be useful in most normal disasters, but not one involving a CME or HEMP. So why waste your money? If you want a way to communicate after an EMP, get your HAM license and a good radio. They don’t need satellites to communicate long distance.
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