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Knight Division TacticalDoes KDT provide satellite phones?
Satellite Phones (Iridium & Inmarsat)
Yes.
KDT provides satellite phones on the Iridium and Inmarsat networks, charged, activated and loaded with your incident's contact list, plus satellite hotspots and messengers where the job calls for them.
Typical configuration
- Networks
- Iridium (global, low earth orbit); Inmarsat (geostationary, most of the world outside the poles)
- Services
- Voice, SMS, SOS and tracking; Iridium push-to-talk; low-rate handset data
- Data terminals
- Satellite hotspots and BGAN terminals, about 0.5 Mbps
- Battery
- About 4–8 hours talk and 30–160 hours standby, by model (typical)
- Accessories
- Spare batteries, car and AC chargers, external antennas, vehicle and desk docks
- Airtime
- Prepaid or monthly plans, numbers listed on the communications plan
A satellite phone makes calls and sends texts straight to a satellite, with no cell tower involved. When a hurricane takes out the cell sites or a crew is working where there was never coverage, a sat phone is the line that still works. They're common for supervisors in remote terrain, for command staff as the backup to everything else, and for security teams working overseas. KDT supplies satellite phones for any incident.
Two networks matter. Iridium uses a constellation of low-orbit satellites that covers the entire planet, including the poles and deep canyons where a view straight up is all you get, and it offers push-to-talk group calling that works like a radio talk group, but worldwide, used on overseas security and contracting work. Inmarsat uses geostationary satellites over the equator: clear voice and long battery life across most of the populated world, but the phone needs a clear view toward the equator. For offshore and overseas work, Inmarsat BGAN terminals add data at about 0.5 Mbps for email and file transfer where Starlink isn't an option.
KDT ships phones charged, with spare batteries, car chargers, an airtime plan that fits the job and every number listed for your communications plan, plus a quick rundown on how to use them. Sat phones need to be outside with a view of the sky; for use inside a vehicle or command post we add docks with external antennas. Some countries restrict satellite phones, so for overseas work we check the rules before anything ships.
Available as
- Iridium handsets
- Inmarsat handsets
- Iridium push-to-talk radios for overseas security work
- Satellite hotspots for smartphone messaging
- Inmarsat BGAN data terminals for offshore and overseas sites
- Vehicle and command post docks with external antennas
- Satellite messengers and trackers
What's included
- Activation and airtime
- Phones charged, with spare batteries and chargers
- Contact lists loaded and a number list for the comms plan
- Quick user training
- Check-out and return tracking by serial number
- Airtime usage reporting
Where it's used
- Supervisors in remote terrain
- Command staff backup communications
- Hurricane EOCs and field teams when cell service is down
- Offshore and remote shoreline spill teams
- Overseas security and contracting operations
Questions, answered.
Does KDT provide satellite phones?
Yes. We supply Iridium and Inmarsat satellite phones, activated and charged with airtime, accessories and your contact list, and track them out to every user.
Iridium or Inmarsat: which is better?
Iridium covers the whole planet, including the poles, and does better in canyons and steep terrain because a satellite is often overhead. Inmarsat gives clear calls and long battery life across most of the world but needs a view toward the equator. We match it to where you're working.
Do satellite phones work indoors?
Not reliably. They need a clear view of the sky. For use inside a vehicle, office or command post we add a dock with an external antenna.
Where do wildfires get satellite phones?
From KDT, for wildfires and every other kind of incident.
Can you supply satellite phones for overseas work?
Yes, though some countries restrict satellite phones or require permits for them. We check the rules for the destination before we ship.
Need it on your incident? Say the word.
Add it to your request with anything else you need, then send it all at once. We'll come back with what we can put where, and when.