SAILOR FleetBroadband Update Features Multi-voice Service

Thrane & Thrane is now offering Inmarsat’s new FleetBroadband Multi-voice service across the Sailor FleetBroadband terminal range. The new service, which Inmarsat launched in May 2012, is available on SAILOR FleetBroadband systems and is accessible on existing terminals with a software update, coming soon. Multi-voice enables FleetBroadband users to expand from the original single voice line to a maximum of nine simultaneous voice lines, on a single SAILOR FleetBroadband terminal. No additional hardware is required other than Thrane & Thrane or third party handsets.

Setting up your FleetBroadband for Multi-voice service does not require engineers or hardware changes to the below deck unit. Loading the new firmware update will give you the capability for the Multi-voice service. However your SIM card in the FleetBroadband will have to be provisioned by your service provider and there may be an activation fee.

With Multi-voice the SAILOR FleetBroadband 500 offers nine simultaneous voice lines through a single terminal. A SAILOR FleetBroadband 250 terminal can offer up to six concurrent calls, and a SAILOR FleetBroadband 150 up to four concurrent calls. You are able to use third party phone equipment for the extra lines, however we recommend the Thrane IP Handset for the additional phone outlets. The Thrane IP Handset for Multi-voice on Sailor FleetBroadband offers easy access to a dedicated menu via the integrated screen, where value-added supplementary voice services, such as phone book and call forwarding can be operated from the handset itself.

With multiple handsets integrated to a single terminal, facility for dedicated voice lines can be made anywhere on board. Thrane and Inmarsat have also ensured that the SAILOR 3771 alarm panel and 505 Service works with Multi-voice. Therefore distress alarms can be sent regardless of how many voice lines are being used.

The new Multi-voice service makes it easy to add extra voice lines for all SAILOR FleetBroadband users. If you are interested in activating this service on your terminal make sure to contact your service provider.



Source for this blog

Satellite Phones Are A Must Have For Smart Travelers

If you travel outside of main urban centers in the United States or abroad, you may find yourself without cell phone service. In case of emergency, a satellite phone can save the day or even save your life. With satellite phones available to rent or to buy fromGMPCS, you will never have to worry about traveling outside of cell phone range.

World travelers can also benefit from the affordable flat rate calling that both Inmarsat and Iridium satellite phones offer. Satellite phone rates are often a fraction of cellular roaming rates, especially in exotic destinations. To learn more about a satellite phone rental click here.

Satellite phones are reliable, easy to use and affordable. They work virtually anywhere on Earth, independently from the local infrastructure and are not affected by weather conditions or natural disasters.

With affordable rental & purchase prices and attractive airtime plans, having access to this potentially lifesaving technology has never been easier.

So while planning for your trip or for the hurricane season, consider renting or buying a satellite phone.

To purchase a satellite phone look at our most popular models the IsatPhone Pro and the Iridium 9555 or Extreme.

Hurricane and Natural Disaster Preparedness 2012 With Satellite Phones and More

With the start of hurricane season, now would be a good time to make sure you have everything you need in case of a sudden emergency. GMPCS would like you to be prepared before, during and after the storm. The following are a few items that will help for this hurricane season.

Satellite Phones
In any natural disaster the potential for landlines and cellular phone towers to go down or these networks to be overloaded is very likely. After a tornado, hurricane or flood a satellite phone may be your only way to communicate. A mobile satellite phone relies on an orbiting satellite system, which are independent from local infrastructure and therefore not affected by these natural disasters.  The most reliable satellite providers with global coverage are Inmarsat and Iridium. Both providers have their advantages and are compared in this online article.  The most affordable of the two is the IsatPhone Pro from Inmarsat. For as little as $610 you can have an emergency satellite phone, sold here. Another smart option is the IsatPhone Pro Emergency kit which includes an emergency airtime plan with the equipment.

Additional Batteries
If you already have a satellite phone, now would be a good time to test it. Check the Batteries and make sure you are familiar with making a call. Also having an additional battery is an affordable solution to being prepared. The IsatPhone Pro battery retails for just $40.95. Iridium offers a high capacity battery for the 9555 model phone and an additional Iridium 9575 extreme battery can be found here.

Battery Docking Stations
Battery docking stations are capable of rapid charging most types of satellite phone batteries in a single process. A battery docking station allows you to charge the satellite phone battery without using the handheld phone. This accessory is available in single bay units as well as four bay units, for the Inmarsat IsatPhone Pro,the Iridium 9555 and other Iridium handsets.  Each bay can accommodate a charging plate designed to fit each type of battery.  Charging plates can be swapped to charge different types of batteries with the same bay.  More information on the battery docking station can be found here.



Nomad 13.5 Solar Panel

Solar Charger
When the power goes out the Nomad 13.5M solar panel may be your only source for charging your electronics. Using 13.5 watts of highly efficient mono-crystalline solar technology, its four small panels provide plenty of power and conveniently fold into a small, lightweight portable case. This solar charger will recharge the batteries of the above satellite phones for Iridium and Inmarsat. In addition it will charge a mobile cell phone, MP3 player or tablet connected via the DC cigarette adapter.

Inmarsat’s Airtime Changes for the IsatPhone Pro and IsatPhone Link

In the past, Inmarsat’s Prepaid validity timeframes were easy to remember and understand. Regardless of the number of units you recharged with, the validity was extended by 730 days from the date of topup. This validity extension will be changing soon for a couple of the Inmarsat terminal types, namely the IsatPhone Pro and IsatPhone Link terminals.

As of June 1st (UTC), any additional units you add to an IsatPhone Pro or IsatPhone Link Prepaid subscription will, at most, extend your validity 365 days from the date of topup. All new extensions will be from date of topup and not the original expiration date. The full list of new validity extensions by Prepaid voucher size can be seen in the following chart:

Options	Validity
25 unit voucher	30 days
50 unit voucher	90 Days
100 unit voucher	180 Days
250 unit voucher	180 Days
500 unit voucher	365 Days
1000 unit voucher	365 Days
2500 unit voucher	365 Days
5000 unit voucher	365 Days

Note that if you have more than 365 days remaining on your current SIM, you will not lose your existing validity come June 1st. However, you will only extend your validity longer than your current expiration date if the remaining validity is less than the new topup validity as listed above.

For example:

• Old balance : 10 units with 395 days validity remaining
• Apply voucher: 25 units with 30 days validity
• New balance: 35 units with 395 days validity remaining

For example:

• Old balance : 10 units with 60 days validity remaining
• Apply voucher: 500 units with 365 days validity
• New balance: 510 units with 365 days validity remaining

These changes only affect IsatPhone Pro and IsatPhone Link. FleetPhone and BGAN will continue to have the same 730 day validity extensions for all voucher options.

Inmarsat’s new vouchers will be non-cumulative in terms of expiration only. So, if you add 2 of the 25-unit vouchers today, you will only add 30 days validity from today’s date, but you will still add a total of 50 units.

This means now is an ideal time to topup your SIM to extend the validity while quantities last. If you are not ready to purchase another 100 or 250 units, simply purchase our 730-day validity extension for $30.00. This will add 10 units to your account, as well as maximizing your validity. Don’t wait until the last minute to make your purchase, as we cannot guarantee that quantities will remain in stock.


For more information contact GMPCS at 954-973-3100 or www.gmpcs-us.com

Maintenance for Inmarsat’s IsatPhone Pro battery

IsatPhone Pro with SatStation docs

Inmarsat and GMPCS have received reports regarding the IsatPhone Pro battery not being able to hold a charge. Some of the batteries for the IsatPhone Pro have been draining to the point where they will no longer power the IsatPhone Pro and cannot be recharged in the phone via USB. If you have experienced this issue the only way to recharge the battery is to place it in a SatStation charging cradle or purchase a new battery.

What is the IsatPhone Pro Battery Bug?
The IsatPhone Pro handset battery is becoming impossible to recharge. This issue is occurring in the field and has been reported by several distribution partners and customers. There are no records from customers on battery usage and maintenance related to these reported failures, however it is most likely related to the charge level in the battery becoming too low, and the safety circuit in the battery activating. The safety circuit can become activated when the differential between the positive and negative is so low that it thinks there is a short circuit, and disconnects the cell. This can be caused by poor battery maintenance.

Another cause for this battery issue may be from excessive charging. We have seen that where the battery is charged constantly, it has a very short lifespan. If the battery is left in the handset it will naturally drain power slowly until the battery reaches the level where it cannot be recharged again. However if the battery starts with a full charge and is then left in the handset, it should last many months before reaching the un-rechargeable state, depending on the environmental conditions.

Proper Battery Maintenance
When in storage the battery should be recharged regularly. We recommend recharging once a month to be safe. Inmarsat recommends you charge the battery to around 60% charge, and store the battery in a dry environment separate from the handset. This gives the best shelf life, because fully charged batteries degrade quicker than part charged batteries, and humidity affects charge life in storage. If a battery is left to go completely flat, then it may not be possible to recharge it again with the normal charger. Therefore never store batteries with a low charge level.

Solution
If you have experienced this issue or have difficulty charging your IsatPhone Pro battery your best solution is the SatStation Bay Charger. The SatStation IsatPhone Pro Battery Charger is the only standalone charging solution for the IsatPhone Pro satellite phone. It comes in a 4-Bay Charging station and Single Bay.

For more information contact GMPCS Tech at 954-973-3100 or www.gmpcs-us.com

Helpful Tips When Using the Iridium AxcessPoint With Your Satellite Phone

Iridium Axcesspoint

The Iridium AxcessPoint works for the Iridium 9555 satellite phone and the Iridium 9575 Extreme.  AxcessPoint is a lightweight, portable device that connects via USB cable to the Iridium handset and creates a Wi-Fi hotspot.  It establishes a narrowband internet connection primarily suited for email messaging and browsing mobile websites.  Our customers have found that the AxcessPoint is a simplel ‘plug & play’ unit however when setting it up keep these points in mind.

A Connection call
Once you’ve plugged in the unit, there is not much that you need to do in order to start sending emails. Just detect the Wi-Fi hotspot and you are connected.  The connection speed is 2.4kbps so is it not recommended for internet browsing.  Iridium has an email compression software that comes with the AxcessPoint called Mail and Web that you will need to download from www.iridium.com/axcesspoint. Or you can use our free service of GMPCS Speedmail.  Also, there is an iPhone App that allows you to send and receive compressed emails once you are set up. 

It is important to note:  When the AxcessPoint is connected to the Iridium satellite phone and it is turned on, a connection (phone call) is established and it is kept until AxcessPoint is turned off or unplugged from the Iridium Phone.

Also do not use high bandwidth applications made for terrestrial networks such as video or music.


Secure your Wi-Fi
When you create the Wi-Fi hotspot with AxcessPoint you should make sure it is secure.  Iridium AxcessPoint can be password protected.  The default setting is not to require a password for access to the Wi-Fi hotspot. Follow the steps below to set the password:

• Turn ON Iridium AxcessPoint.
• Connect to Iridium AxcessPoint to your Wi-Fi laptop via the Wi-Fi connection.
• Open a web browser and connect to Iridium AxcessPoint’s IP address: http://192.168.0.1 This will bring you to the Administrative Page.
• Enter your Iridium AxcessPoint’s password that is the last six digits of the MAC address (can be found on the back of the device).
• On the Basic screen, under Wireless Security Mode, select WEP or WPA-PSK for security mode.
• In the Preshared key field, you can change the password. The default password is “12345678”
• Save settings.
• Iridium AxcessPoint will reboot automatically.

You have now set the password for your Iridium AxcessPoint. The new password will be required to access your iridium Wi-Fi hotspot.

For more information, please contact GMPCS at +1-954-973-3100

Iridium 9575 Extreme Satellite Phone Recall

GMPCS Iridium 9575 Extreme

Iridium has announced a complete recall of their 9575 Extreme satellite phones. GMPCS will get more details from Iridium soon, but we know that customers who purchased the Iridium 9575 will have to send their satellite phones back for replacement.  At this time Iridium has restarted production of replacement phones with a permanent fix to the problem and they will start shipping replacement units the week of May 7^th 2012. The replacements will be done on a first in/first out basis and the turnaround is expected to be 2 to 3 weeks.

Iridium has announced the recall for the 9575 Extreme due to a mechanical element on the antenna.  A deployment sensor has insufficient tolerances which are leading to instances of the sensor not working as designed. Iridium has traced the problem to a vendor manufacturing process and has worked with this vendor to stop the issue from occurring in future production. This issue is isolated to the Iridium Extreme & does not affect the Iridium9555.

 

 

Unfortunately, Iridium estimates that a significant number of shipped units are impacted. They have identified several impacts to the use of the phone. One possible result of this mechanical issue is that a customer is still able to make calls and send messages but the phone’s performance may be reduced even if the antenna is fully extended. Another possible result is that the unit may operate at a power level exceeding the equipment’s authorized FCC radio frequency limits unless the antenna is fully extended.

This issue may not impact all units; however, due to the nature of the issue, it is difficult to determine which units are affected through standard screening processes. Therefore, Iridium strongly requests that customers return all Iridium Extreme phones for replacement.

Once GMPCS has clarified everything with Iridium, we will communicate with our customers who purchased the Iridium 9575 on the logistics of getting a replacement.

www.gmpcs-us.com