blockhead's Blog

With more offshore fishing boats taking customers further out into the deep blue ocean in search of Billfish, Tunas and others, satellite phones are quickly becoming an essential for all offshore fishing and boating enthusiasts.

The growing popularity in offshore fishing tournaments, charter boats, and individuals searching for that elusive Marlin, Yellowfin Tuna, Swordfish and other fish that reside in deep water, warrants the utmost in boating safety. These days most anglers fishing the deep, blue water have the opportunity to buy or rent Satellite Phones. Satellite phones on boats have become a very important and necessary piece of safety equipment on your boat. These days Iridium and Inmarsat satellite phones are compact, and offer satellite phone service if the vessel has problems. The best part however is that these satellite phones are economical priced.

Most large boats often come outfitted with Inmarsat satellite equipment, and can easily be switched with a sim card that will immediately add safety and assurance to the boats passengers and crew. This sim card offers boat owners the security of knowing that if a problem arises, with a quick phone call, help is on the way. This sense of security helps bring confidence to each boat owner as well.

In the past renting a satellite phone was unheard of. Today, many companies offer this service, with competitive prices, reliability and global coverage around the world. Renting a satellite phone for boat marine enthusiasts offers the comfort of knowning that you're in good hands, and can get assistance where-ever you are, in any country around the world. Renting a satellite phone is inexpensive, and satellite phone services offer great prices for boat owners.

With more than 66 satellites circling the earth, a satellite phone offers users the opportunity to call any number, anywhere, anytime. Especially since cellular phones will not pick up a signal when just a couple miles offshore, or in different countries. Satellite phones also offer quick help by dialing a 4-digit number; you will be connected with a service representative will help you with any problems that you might be having.

Here is my personal Top 10 list of why you should own or rent a satellite phone when traveling abroad:

10. Safety

9. 24-Hour Customer Service

8. Affordable

7. Reliable 6. Worldwide Reception

5. Easy to use

4. Convenient 10 digit global number

3. Customized Options

2. Piece of Mind

#1 Reason

It’s the best way to let your family know when you’re gonna be late.

Copyright 2005 Troy Denson - Satellite Phone Services of Satcom Marine http://www.satcommarine.com

The Best Cell Phone Plans Vary According to The Amount Of Calls You Make. Find Out If A Prepaid or Postpaid Plan Is The Right One For You.

Before buying the first prepaid or postpaid plan you see, it’s better to first find out about the different cell phone plans available. The best way to rate exactly what kind of plan you should have is to think about how much you’ll be making calls on your mobile phone. You also need to monitor the time (hour) that you often make calls. This is because most cell phone plans will be limited to ‘anytime’ minutes which mean that you can make limited calls during peak hours.

When looking at cell phone plans, you will also want to consider the amount of coverage you will get. It is important to know whether the prepaid or postpaid plan that you’re signing up for is local, regional or for nationwide coverage. If you do not travel a lot, then it doesn’t matter. But if you do, then it’s important to know what you’re getting into or you could find yourself paying a high price for ‘roaming’ charges. Take note that the cell phone plans with the best values are the ones that include free long distance calls.

A family plan is also an option when shopping for a cell phone plan. It allows you to share your monthly airtime allowance with additional lines. What’s great about postpaid packages like these is that you’ll be able to make free inter-network calling so you won’t have to pay to talk to your family members.

If you are still unsure of which postpaid plan to get, after reviewing the various cell phone plans available, then you might want to consider the prepaid option. The prepaid plan is best if you don’t have a consistent usage every month. What you do is pay a sum of money upfront and you’ll get a certain amount of time/minutes. When you’ve used up all your minutes, you’ll be able to renew it easily. One of the advantages of having a prepaid plan is that you don’t actually have to sign any contracts, although some telco providers may require you to fill in your details for security purposes. If you are unhappy about the prepaid plan at any time, you can terminate the prepaid plan without any hassles!

Free cell phone reviews at http://www.cool-cell-phones.com! Find out more before you buy new or used cell phones online.

If you're considering your first cell phone, there are some specific things to consider. How you plan to use your phone and what kind of plan you want for your phone are a couple of the points that you should keep in mind. Take a look at some of the common issues that people face when buying cell phones.

Free phones are one of the most common gimmicks cell phone service providers use to get your business. Cell phones are expensive, and the newer designs and technology are often very expensive. But you have to weigh the cost of the particular cell phone being offered in with the cost of your phone plan.

If you're considering a company that offers a specific cell phone for free, find out how much that phone retails for. Check the price from the company you're working with and from some competitors. If the phone only retails for $100 or so (and yes, there are cell phones still available in that price range), the phone probably doesn't have the latest security and may not have some important technologies. You may find that your phone plan includes free mobile-to-mobile calling, but calls to and from that particular phone model are still charged as usual. In a case like this, you may be better off purchasing your phone outright instead of signing a contract that will keep your service constant for a set period of time.

Carefully consider insurance when you take out your phone policy. Some people simply buy the insurance without a second thought while others say it's not worth it. Both may be wasting money. If you have an older cell phone or an inexpensive model, the insurance may be a waste. But cell phones aren't especially durable and you may find that you're running the risk of being without a cell phone if you don't take out the policy.

Check the cost of your phone if you had to replace it. Add up the total amount of the insurance over the course of your contract (remember that you'll probably be eligible for a new phone free or at a reduced cost when the contract is to be renewed) and compare that to the cost of replacing the phone. Like any insurance policy, the rest is a simple matter of weighing the risks.

Jeff Lakie is the founder of Cell Phone Resources a website providing information on Cell Phones

Many people find that the best way for you to communicate is through the use of a satellite-phone. This is especially true in remote locations where there is very little mobile phone coverage. The good news is that you can find many options to help keep you safe even when you are in some of the most far away locations out there. A satellite-phone is a great way to stay connected no matter where you may be.

The satellite-phone looks quite a bit like an old style mobile phone that is form the late 1980’s. They are larger phones and they normally have a large antenna on them. They need this antenna and design because of how they work. These phones work by communicating with satellites that orbit the Earth. Yes, far into space they can make connections to Earth. The great thing about the satellite-phone is that it is often able to be used throughout the world. And, that is something that most mobile phones can not yet do.

The satellite-phone was mainly used for people who would get into these remote locations. But, now, they are becoming more and more popular. As technology advances, you can find more and more of them available to you. You will even find them offered in that slimmed down version of a mobile phone soon.

While not all of them offer world wide coverage, many of them now do. This is a great service as it allows people to stay connected throughout the word. If you feel that you will benefit from the use of a satellite-phone, take a minute to find the locations on the web that offer them. The best technology is that which is located on the web. You will find great opportunities in pricing plans as well. The satellite-phone offers many benefits including great service!

for more information please see http://www.satellite-phone-deals.co.uk

Cell Phones - or Mobile Phones, depending on which part of the world you reside in. I wonder, is it possible to go anywhere in the world without seeing one of these instruments. I am a resident of the Oceania region and I look upon cell phones with a mixture of humour, disdain, irritation and I guess, a little admiration.

This technology permits us to communicate with each other from almost any place on earth. So long as you pay the money to your provider you can make a call to your landline home telephone from anywhere, using 'agents' within the country you are visiting.

As with everything, technology improves(?) every day. So it is with cell phones. I am sure it won't be long before we can put them on a key ring! It doesn't seem such a long time ago that my son had a phone that was about the size of half a house brick, and if you were going to try to clip it to your belt buckle, there was a likelihood that your trousers would finish up around the ankles.

Pricing, naturally, has made cell phones much more accessible to the general public and evidently this suits the younger members of our society. Although it still somewhat amazes me that even with prices being quite reasonable, how is it possible for schoolchildren to afford what is basically still an accessory?

From an irritating point of view, and not wishing to sound pedantic, I find it somewhat invasive to overhear a conversation on a cell phone, say in a restaurant, while enjoying a pleasant meal, the recipient informing the caller where they are and what they are eating. Who said the art of conversation is dead?

On a more serious note, cell phones can also be a lethal weapon in the wrong hands. How so I hear you say? How many times have you been driving and seen the 'one-handed driver' with cell phone in the other hand having an extended conversation while travelling at the speed limit on the freeway? Thankfully, most civilised societies have banned this crazy practice.

Don't think that by reading this article that I am anti-cell phone. I most certainly am not. I find that having the phone to hand can be more than useful in emergencies. I am only making tongue in cheek remarks as a little nudge in the ribs of the world of cell phone users.

Which brings me to my conclusion, we all know that this type of phone, as with all other commercial products, is there to make money for the manufacturers, retailers, providers and give pleasure and convenience to the users. And so be it.

My final and I consider the most amusing thing I have seen quite recently with cell phones, concerned an advertisement for a Nokia phone (or was it Motorola). Anyway, a list of advantages for this particular model were proffered for the public: camera, message service, make a cup of tea, all sorts of things. What was evident was that the SIXTH item on the list of the selling points was the first reference to actually making a telephone call!!

Ah, what wonderful times we live in!!

-------------------------------------------------------
Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Cell Phones
-------------------------------------------------------