Budget Satcoms

Modern satcom devices and network airtime costs have dropped in price recently as more “birds” are launched and more constellations are created. This has resulted in several low-cost voice and data, or data-only, communicators being made available to the budget-conscious sailor.

Some systems allow the user to connect a smartphone or tablet to the Internet for both voice and data services; others simply transmit tracking data back to pre-determined contacts back home, via SMS or email. Either way, they are becoming a good deal more user-friendly, both in setting-up and in operation, although you need to study the small print of the service agreements carefully as there are numerous “extras” you can be charged for. Some providers offer a Pay-as-you-Go service, but many monthly airtime contracts involve signing up for a minimum of a year to get the best rates.

SHOUT NANO

The Shout Nano is a handheld, global, two-way satellite messaging and personal tracking device that utilizes Iridium’s SBD service to provide