Hi. My name is John Whitley and I’m the founder of RentASatPhone.com.au,  Australia’s number one satellite communications Rental store.

In this article I want to answer one of the most popular questions I get from anybody looking into satellite handsets in Australia, “Can I get a prepaid card for my satellite phone instead of coming into a contract?”

I will do my own finest to push you in the proper direction with this issue but be informed details change in this ever-changing world.

At the time of writing the 2 satellite networks available in Australia are Thuraya and Iridium.

Up until July Last year it was possible inside Australia to get a Thuraya phone and also buy a pre paid time-limited card. Thuraya have since closed the exclusive deal with Optus which means you are only able to buy a Thuraya phone through an Optus authorised satellite dealer.

Many of us consider this a great shame as Thuraya had carved themselves a growing industry by simply providing a great affordable phone. For those people who basically wished some thing for problems or to the occasional home discussion this is comfortably the best solution.

On the moment Optus do not provide a pre paid option with their Thuraya handsets.

For customers that have purchased them in Australia prior to July ‘09, however, buying top-up to their already existing prepaid cards is no issue.

This particular leaves the Iridium network. Well, the answer then is, “Yes, it is possible to purchase prepaid with an Iridium telephone.” But this comes with many limits.

Initially, currently in Australia the sole pre-paid options Iridium give are a two-month 80mins prepaid on a “use it or lose it” basis. So if you do not use your own credits in that 2 months you will lose them.

Iridium then give you just 1 month’s grace to top up that card. When you don’t, you might lose your own card as well as phone number and have to start once more.

The next option is a twelve-month time card with 500mins on it on the same “use it or lose it” basis.

Typically the truth is that this costs so much to put each satellite into orbit and to operate them which it’s not likely financial practical for these companies to sell prepaid for their providers.

Until we may work out to change this, from the time of writing these were the only options available.

But watch this space.

I have faith you discovered these details valuable. If you’d like to find out everything more about satellite phones and how to get the plan which is effective for you, please contact us.

We will love to help you.

See our website to get more free assistance and also to learn all you need to learn about satellite devices.

Go to www.SatellitePhoneSales.com.au or contact us on 1300 851 591.