How To Dial a Satellite Phone

One very important thing to know is that it depends if you are:

1) Dialing TO a Satphone or
2) Dialing  FROM  a Satphone.

They are totally different and very easy to mix up the correct dialing string.

Satellite phone numbers differ from other phone systems like cellular phones and land lines. Each satellite provider has a unique prefix followed by an eight or nine digit number. Inmarsat (ISAT, BGAN, FLEET) begins with 870 followed by nine digit phone number, Thuraya begins with 882 16 followed by an eight digit number, and for Iridium, the number would begin with 8816 followed by eight digit phone number. In addition to the prefix and phone number, callers must know and use international dialing codes.

DIALING FROM A SATPHONE:

To call out from any satellite phone, the caller needs a clear view of the sky and the phone should be registered to the satellite network. When the phone is ready to dial enter 00 plus the country code and phone number:

Example: 001 707 545 8199

DIALING TO A SATPHONE:

To call a satellite phone, the caller needs to first enter an international access codes and satellite phone number: The International Access Code is typically 011 in most countries and is totally different from dialing from the satphone.

• Calling from US to an Iridium phone: 011 8816 31049999
• Calling from US to a Thuraya Phone: 011 882 16 31049999
• Calling from US to an Inmarsat Phone: 011 870 310499999

Of course there are other methods that help simplify the above and reduce the per minute airtime charges, one called 2-Stage Access for Iridium.

To find out more,  please contact us online or by phone at 1-888-989-8199.