That ’ s when you have little choice but to go for a satellite phone . These are great devices but their functionality is no better than an old-style mobile phone from the 1980s . Sending a text message is difficult due to their numeric keypad . Emails are almost out of the question and you have to replicate your contact list on more than one device .
All that aside , the biggest issue with satellite phones is they are limited to outdoor use . The reason for this is they rely on line-of-sight access to satellites out in space . Some of these networks rely on just one satellite in geostationary orbit high above the equator . Even the Iridium satellite network , with its 66 active satellites in low earth orbit , cannot be accessed from inside your caravan .
This is where the Iridium GO ! looks to be a very good alternative …
WHAT IS IRIDIUM GO !?
Iridium GO ! is a small , selfcontained device that provides an interface between your smartphone and the Iridium satellite phone network . It is similar to the ZOLEO in that it is a small device , about the size of a large pager , and it uses an app on your smart device to function .
Iridium GO ! uses wi-fi to connect up to five devices at a time . Theoretically , you can place the Iridium GO ! anywhere it has an unobstructed view of the sky and you can make voice calls from any location as long as you can connect to the Iridium GO !’ s wi-fi network . Iridium quotes an effective range radius of 30m ! That ’ s very impressive .
Iridium GO ! is designed to be placed outdoors .
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