Coverage at a glance
A short tour of which network covers what, and why "global" means four different things to four different operators.
The short version
| Network | Coverage | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Iridium | Truly global, including poles | Only network with verified polar coverage |
| Inmarsat | Roughly 76°N to 76°S | Excludes polar regions; stronger broadband |
| Thuraya | Europe, Africa, Middle East, Asia, Australia | No coverage in the Americas |
| Globalstar | Americas, Europe, parts of Africa, Asia, Australia | Patchy in the deep ocean middles |
Why orbits matter
- LEO (low earth orbit) — Iridium, Globalstar: satellites move across the sky. The constellation is sized to keep at least one in view from anywhere it claims to cover.
- GEO (geostationary) — Inmarsat, Thuraya: satellites are parked over the equator, so they appear fixed in the sky. From the ground, you point an antenna once. From the satellite’s perspective, the curve of the Earth hides the poles.
If you’ll operate above 76°N or below 76°S — that includes Svalbard, much of Greenland, the Antarctic — only Iridium is reliably useful.
Why “Globalstar global” looks patchy
Globalstar uses a “bent-pipe” architecture: the satellite relays calls straight back to the nearest ground station. That means the only places it serves are within sight of both a satellite and a ground station. Open ocean miles from any continent? Not covered. Costa Rica? Covered. The Antarctic? Not covered. Read the published map carefully if you’re considering Globalstar for marine or expedition use.
Indoor coverage
No satphone works reliably indoors. Some, with luck, work through a window facing the satellite. If your use case is mostly inside buildings, you need an external antenna kit (we sell them) or a different solution.
Urban canyons and forests
Tall buildings, dense foliage and steep terrain all block satellite signals. Always step outside and into a clear view of the sky before making a call. This is the single most common cause of “my satphone doesn’t work” support tickets.
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