You will find information on reception and call quality for each country via the form, as well as partial notes and prohibitions on the use of satellite phones.
Unlike mobile telephony, with satellite telephony you cannot simply change SIM cards and be connected to a new provider. Each of the following providers has its own satellites in the orbit. You need separate hardware and a separate SIM card for each provider. The reception and call quality is also not the same everywhere:
Iridium
Iridium is available worldwide. Iridium has orbiting satellites. About every 10 minutes an Iridium satellite “rises on the horizon” and one or more Iridium satellites goes down. As a result, reception and call quality is very good in our latitudes and in the north and south of the globe. But here comes the problem: At the equator and up to 25–30 degrees latitude, reception and call quality is suboptimal, unless you have a clear view all around. More detailed information per country via the form above.
Thuraya has fixed satellites. This means that they are always more or less in the same spot in the sky. The Thuraya satellites, altogether there are 3 pieces, cover Europe, Africa and Asia. On the two American continents as well as in the very north and in the very south of the globe you have no network with Thuraya. In our latitudes, the Thuraya satellite is located in the south-east at an elevation angle of about 23 degrees. You can find the position information for other countries via the form above.
Inmarsat also has fixed satellites. This means that they are always more or less in the same spot in the sky. The Inmarsat satellites, altogether there are 4 of them, cover the complete earth within the two polar circles. In the very north and in the very south of the globe you have no network with Inmarsat. In our latitudes, the Inmarsat satellite is located in the south at an elevation angle of about 29 degrees. You can find the position information for other countries via the form above.
