Need some help.

[IANMCDEVITT]

Guys, need some commo help. I have a job coming up and need a sat phone. Does anyone own the Kyocera ? To rent is 6 bills. To BUY is like 8. Anyone with any OWNING or extensive USING info ?

[TacAir]

A few questions to help refine your plea for assistance.

Where will you be using the phone? a country name is enough

Voice only or voice + data? Would messaging only meet your needs? Do you need all 3? How much data and what speed is needed/desired?

What kind of infrastructure, if any, will you have access to? (regular electric, solar only, genset only, none or 'other'.

Does size matter? Will something the size of a briefcase work, or is that too big? Related - will this be carried with you or mostly stay at a prime location (bunkhouse)?

Purchase or rent? (Some companies are willing pick up a rental tab as an expense)

[IANMCDEVITT]

Remote locations in SE Asia. Need very reliable voice only, no games, no music, no texting, no e-mail. Just need to speak to a doctor FAST and very reliably. I see that some of the phones have their own lithium battery. I would have loved to have been able to re-charge with a goal zero panel with AA's or a powerfilm panel......BUT, I don't really know how I would hook up the LI battery ? Is there a USB ?

[IANMCDEVITT]

..oops, size always matters..... and I think I'm probably going to buy instead of rent. How's the Brit Inmarsat thing work ?

[TacAir]

Sounds like one of the lower cost Iridium phones might be a good choice for you.

http://www.iridium.com/default.aspx shows several products they offer. You will need to deal with a provider for airtime.

Consider a refurbished instrument to save on your initial cost.