Satellite Communications Technology
Complicated or… not so much?
One of the most often asked questions that we get from prospective portable satellite internet and voice customers concerns the skill level required to operate the communications terminal itself. Because the technology behind the construction, launching and operation of the satellites themselves is so incredibly complex the natural tendency is for people to assume that it also takes a high level skill in order to operate the satellite telephone itself.
Nothing could be further from the truth
While it is true that there are some satellite terminals on the market that do have a steep technical learning curve, the very popular MSAT G2, does not. Arguably perhaps the most underrated workhorse communications terminal available today the MSAT G2 is truly “plug and play”. There may be technical “installation” expertise required for installing the G2 in a vehicle or on a sea going vessel but there is no expertise required for assembling the terminal for “operational” status. Within 15 minutes of delivery you can have your MSAT G2 assembled, powered up and READY TO COMMISSION. It just doesn’t get any easier than that.
What does “READY TO COMMISSION” mean?
Your MSAT Service Provider, perhaps (but not always) the same person you purchased the terminal from, will need to register your portable satellite radio onto the MSAT satellite network. As a result of the registration process he will have some numbers that will need to be programmed into the satellite terminal handset. He can either provide you the numbers and commissioning instructions to do this yourself or, more commonly, he will walk you through the process over the phone.
How complicated it the “COMMISSIONING” process?
Would you believe 5 steps and 5 minutes? That’s all there is to it!
We do this ALL THE TIME for our customers. With your cell phone in one hand (or sitting on a table in “speaker mode”) and the G2 handset in the other hand your MSAT Service Provider will take you through the 5 steps, step by step, culminating in “commission pass” appearing on the handset LED display. Congratulation, you’re operational, child’s play compared the effort it took to learn how to operate the REMOTE for your new flat screen TV!
Yes, but how difficult is it to learn to OPERATE the telephone?
This might take another 5 minutes. Actually, you will have probably learned to operate theMSAT G2 Satellite Radio push to talk handset terminal via the COMMISSIONING process. If you can operate a cell phone you can operate the G2 as they have virtually identical dialing and answering protocols. Squeeze the PTT microphone, wait ½ second and begin talking. When you’ve finished talking release the PTT mike and listen for a response. You just learned how to operate the Dispatch Radio function. (For more on Dispatch Radio…link.)
Remember, by definition satellite telephones including the iSatPhone Pro are engineered for installation and use in remote locations; off shore vessels, over the road trucks, remote terrestrial outposts, just to name a few applications. Customers typically do not have ready access to technical support from these locations. While the vessel captain or the over the road driver has his own highly defined skill set, that skill set most probably does NOT include the use of satellite technology. The MSAT G2 does an excellent job of providing current generation satellite technology in a straight forward easy to understand operational protocol.
When it’s all said and done.
- We are usually smarter than we think we are
- The equipment is usually easier to operate than we think it will be
- We usually underestimate our own capabilities