NETWORK · OPERATIONAL · GEOSTATIONARY
Thuraya.
Geostationary coverage (Thuraya-4) across Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia. Thuraya specialises in light, pocketable handsets with GSM roaming fallback built in, at friendly hardware and airtime prices.
GEOThuraya-4 · geostationary
35,786kmOrbit altitude
186gXT-LITE handset weight
▸ WHAT IT'S GOOD FOR
When your world is Europe, Africa, the Middle East or Central Asia.
Thuraya is the network we suggest when the route stays inside its footprint and the budget matters. The handsets are light and simple, calls are clear, and dual-mode models roam onto ordinary GSM networks when you are back in town — one phone, one number, satellite when you need it.
The trade-off is reach: there is no coverage in the Americas and none near the poles, and the satellites sit over the equator so the link wants open sky towards it. If the trip might leave the footprint, we point you at Iridium instead.
Overland EMEA & Central Asia
Vehicles and travellers crossing GSM-poor regions.
Budget resilience
An affordable handset kept charged for when networks fail.
One phone, one number
Dual-mode handsets fall back to GSM when you are back in town.
▸ THE TECHNICAL PICTURE
▸ THURAYA KIT WE STOCK
Handsets for this network.
HANDSET
Thuraya XT-LITE
Simple, affordable handset for EMEA and Central Asia. Long standby, clear voice.
£449▸ VIEW
▸ NOT SURE THURAYA COVERS YOUR ROUTE?
Tell us the trip. We'll tell you the network — honestly.