Hi. I’m John Whitley and I’m the founder of SatellitePhoneSales.com.au, Australia’s number one on the web satellite communications retailer.

In this article I’d like to reply one of the most frequent questions I get coming from anyone seeking into satellite handsets in Australia, “Do I call a local telephone number when contacting on a satellite phone”?

During the period of writing, the 2 main networks that are available in Australia are Thuraya and Iridium.

This question have several answers. Apologies, I know nothing related to satellite handsets looks like simple.

Other than going into each retailer’s airtime plans and the things they offer, since it the only one is a minefield, my objective here’s to give you an introduction to the topic. You ought to check with your service provider with regards to their own individual strategies.

The Thuraya network is known as a fantastic one. I’ve personally used these remotely and simply dialled a local telephone number and got through without a problem. I dialled the territory code as well as the phone number and hey presto, I got connected.

Then 2-3 weeks later I attempted the exact same thing while in Tom Price in the north of Western Australia but got the message from a guy talking in the foreign language. Because I was in the different nation to him I dialled the common 0061 89…and got through immediately.

And so because of my expertise, if you’re not even with Optus with your Thuraya satellite phone and then test it. In the event that this won’t work resort to the standard worldwide codes.

Should you be with Optus you should be able to simply dial the local number. It is because this goes through their own exchange. This all seem excellent, however keep in mind. Through our knowledge when a satellite device goes through a local exchange you are able to quite often end up being costed anytime someone phones you.

With regard to incoming telephone calls in Thuraya, however, you will be provided an worldwide code and contact number, and that’s what individuals will use to call you using their landline or even mobile phone.

This attracts international or special satellite call prices from your mobile phone provider so check with them with regards to their rates.

Today, things do not get any less difficult with Iridium.

The directly fact is that Iridium get their very own network and their own designated phone numbers. Therefore right after dialling the worldwide code 0011, let’s say it is for Australia, you would dial 61, next the number .

Should you were dialling the Iridium satellite cell phone from the landline or a portable telephone you’ll dial 0011 88 and then the rest of the number. This just means that 88 is certainly their country code, just like 61 is Australia’s.

The 2nd portion to this answer is that a variety of dealers offer local numbers for their Iridium satellite handsets and service.

Most people tend to be one of those, Telstra and Pivotel do also.

Therefore, what the benefits of the local telephone number and exactly why have one?

Very well there are two reasons why this can be helpful but there is a catch. On this one it’s cost.

The truth, since discussed earlier, could be the satellite mobile phone comes with its own number so to add the local exchange telephone number and have it go through that exchange, which makes it appear to be a standard local number, costs you. The price can be and usually will be hidden in a barrage of bull in the provider’s airtime plans.

One of the most frequent one hidden cost if you add the local number feature is that the service provider will cost you for incoming cell phone calls, whereas if you stick with the common satellite telephone number there’s no exchange charge, thus making it cheaper.

In our experience the main benefit of having this local number feature addition on your Iridium phone is if your company has international calls barred from its landlines. A local exchange number means you can be called from the office.

There are a number of large organisations that block international calls from its landlines, so it’s always worth checking if your satellite phone can be called from your office phones.

In our experience less than 15% of consumers are willing to pay the extra charge for this feature.

To summarise, unless you get the local number extra feature, when dialling a satellite phone from a landline or mobile phone you will be dialling, for example for Western Australia, 0011 88 9XXX XXXX; and when dialling from a satellite phone to a landline you will dial, for example for Western Australia, 0061 8 9XXX XXXX.

I trust you found this information useful. If you’d like to know anything more about satellite phones and how to use them, please contact us.

We’ll be happy to help you.

See our website for more free advice and to learn all you need to know about satellite phones.

Visit www.SatellitePhoneSales.com.au or call us on 1300 197 600.