How to Call an Iridium Satellite Phone from the U.S.

Need to call someone with Iridium satellite phone? No problem, here's your resource.

Firstly you need to make sure you have international dialing capabilities to dial the country code '881', Iridium's virtual international country code. So now may be time to check with your long distance service provider for access and rates.

Once you have determined that you have international dialing access, here's the format to dial:
011 8816 ### #####

If you are currently using an Iridium satellite phone and would like to call another Iridium sat phone, dialing is just as easy. Dialing format:
'+' 8816 ### #####
or
00 8816 ### #####

And that's all there is to it.

How to Dial from an Iridium Satellite Phone

At first, dialing from an Iridium satellite phone can seem intimidating, but after learning the quick process, it's quite simple. So let's get started.

From Iridium Satellite Phone - to - US Landline

1. Make sure the satellite phone antenna is fully extended and positioned straight up when held to your ear and you have a clear view of the sky.


2. Turn your phone on and allow time for Registration and signal strength to appear on the display


3. Now it's time to dial your contact. There are two ways to do this. For our examples below we'll be calling our U.S. number.


The easiest way: Press and hold down '0' until a '+' appears on the screen. Then dial the country code, area code, and remaining phone number. (e.g. + 1 480 857 6656)


OR



Easy way #2: You can replace the '+' by pressing '00', then the country code, area code, and remaining phone number. (e.g. 00 1 480 857 6656)


4. Press the green send button.


5. You will hear several beeps before connection and ringing.

That's it! Have fun with your Iridium Satellite Phone.

Are Satellite Communications for me?

Most, if not all, of us reading this have a cell phone. After all, it's about communication right? Whether for safety or just down-right chatting, we seem to have a need to stay connected. But what happens when our primary phone is on the fritz or doesn't have signal? That's where satellite phones come in.

Sat Phones have become so convenient for everyone from the military and Department of Defense to the individual traveler on a sailing trip in the Caribbean or on an ATV in the desert. Use it for primary or backup communication and for the most part any where in the world.

Iridium is the only satellite network that covers the entire globe. But others have specialized coverage, like Thuraya that covers most of Europe, Africa, and the middle east and Inmarsat who's network virtually covers the world.

Not ready to commit? Rentals are a good option when you are new to satellite phones and want to get a feel for how the technology works. World Communication Center, offers satellite phone and Internet rentals on a weekly basis. Here's the link to learn more about rentals, http://www.wcclp.com/rentals.asp.

So if you can't rely on traditional land-lines or cellular coverage and need constant or backup communications, check out satellite; it just might be the right choice for you.