While satellite text messengers have become popular tools for backcountry communications, the best satellite phones still have a place in our expedition tool kits. And with subscription plans becoming downright affordable — with some even offering a free phone — why text when you can make a voice call?

We’ve been using satellite phones since before, and now after, they’ve been cool — and we’ve watched the technology advance in that time. Along the way, we’ve traveled to some pretty deep places on this planet and stress-tested the market of sat phones to manage our needs for expedition communications. From the do-it-all Iridium GO! to the budget-friendly Inmarsat IsatPhone 2, there’s something here for any explorer.

We’ve been to the summit of Denali (multiple times now), and our explorers have cut through the static to bring together this list of the top satellite phones (and one worthy messenger) on the market today. All of these handhelds will get your call out when it matters most, and while the humble sat phone may seem dormant for now, there are big things on the horizon. Rest assured, we’ll be disappearing into the bush with those, too, to measure their worth.

If satellite phones are new to you, consider digging into our in-depth Buyer’s Guide and Price & Value sections after our selections. And to measure each phone against the other, our Comparison Chart should be able to make the connection. Otherwise, dial in and check out the best sat phones we’ve used to date.

Editor’s Note: We updated our Satellite Phone guide on October 16, 2024, to add our new top pick, the Iridium GO!, as well as additional testing feedback from a recent first ascent in the Ruth Gorge.

The Best Satellite Phones of 2024

Satellite Phone Comparison Chart

How We Tested the Best Satellite Phones

Some winters ago, while traversing Chile’s Atacama desert, our Toyota Hilux inexplicably died, leaving us stranded on a mountain at 17,000 feet. After a volley of sat-phone calls to friends and mechanics in three countries, we diagnosed the problem as an antitheft system gone haywire.

One final call to Chile’s national police put our extraction in motion with no delay or drama. We could have achieved the same result with our satellite communication device, but voice calls undoubtedly expedited the resolution.

Breakdowns in the Andes aside, you don’t have to travel far to justify a satellite phone. Cellular service in the backcountry of North America is terrible. Drive an hour from Denver, and you might as well be in Mongolia.

Field Testing

We measured these phones against one another in terms of connection speed, audio quality, and the number of times we had calls drop — not something any of these phones were immune from. As handheld electronics, we also compared more commonplace specs such as battery life (an important feature when aiming to call from the top of North America), display legibility in harsh or dark conditions, and durability when faced with whipping rain or snow.

To date, we have taken satellite phones to the summit of Denali at least 3 times, as well as toted them along on alpine-style first ascents in the Alaska Range, and along on expeditions into the high deserts of South America. All of these places are exceptionally remote, and we sought out different terrain (signal suffers in glacial gorges vs. broad plains) to test their relative signal reception.

Bench Testing

Each of these devices has been used hard and put away wet, and we’re confident in each of their abilities to get out a call when you need it most. To test relative waterproofing, we hit these phones with the spray bottle to ensure they could withstand the moisture. In a similar way, we also subjected these phones to extreme temperatures — sometimes down to -20 F — to test their ability to shrug off the cold. Finally, relative time to recharge was also taken into account in our testing.

While satellite phone technology hasn’t evolved much previously, new technology just this year is rapidly advancing, and we’re likely on the brink of true satellite phone coverage integrated into your regular phone. We’ll be testing the newest and greatest, and continue to update our list as new devices become available.

Why You Should Trust Us

The GearJunkie team plays host to a number of far-flung adventurers who regularly leave cell service in the dust, and while satellite messengers get all the attention these days, there’s undeniable utility in being able to hash out a conversation when you are truly deep in an expedition.

No backyard testing would suffice in testing these sat phones, and we put in the effort to get out there to challenge them. Most recently, tester and mountain guide Eli Spitulnik used these devices to keep in contact while he climbed a first ascent on Mt. Bradley in the Alaska Range, as well as a follow-up ascent of Denali where he guided a team of climbers on the West Buttress.

Being off the grid for 4 weeks at a time requires dialed-in communications, and Eli used these sat phones for everything from getting in-depth weather to hailing the team’s glacier pilot.

Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose a Satellite Phone

Although only three providers dominate the satellite phone market, it’s difficult to know which to choose. Iridium, Globalstar, and Inmarsat all make great products backed by billion-dollar satellite networks. The best option for you hinges on one variable: where you plan to put it to use.

The first step in selecting a provider is comparing coverage maps. Iridium’s 66 low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites offer connectivity to 100% of the globe. Our experience has proven this to be one of the most reliable satellite voice networks out there, and it’s only being improved with time.

Inmarsat’s 15 satellites rotate in geostationary orbit over the equator at a staggering height of 22,236 miles. At such a lofty position, they cover 90% of the planet only missing sight of the poles. By 2026, the provider plans on having launched three additional new-generation Inmarsat I-8 satellites, which will provide additional coverage and future-proof the service into the 2040s.

Globalstar’s constellation of 48 LEO satellites, once chided for spotty coverage, continues to improve. Nonetheless, vast swaths of the world remain outside Globalstar’s reach, making it a non-starter for some users. Still, if your adventures mainly traverse the coverage zones, subscription plans can be affordable.

The Impossible Nature of Direct Comparisons

As much as we would love to pick one phone and network as the ultimate winner for every situation, it’s simply not in the cards. Where and when you attempt to make a call has a direct impact on the ability to connect to satellites.

While camped in Alaska, we have been able to place a call in the morning with a Globalstar phone, but not in the evening. The Inmarsat phone failed to get a signal at all until we relocated to the next valley over. At a camp near Tibet, the Iridium phone was useless, but the Inmarsat phone connected in seconds.

Every phone had moments when it just could not make the link. A shift in time and place is the only remedy.

International Travel and Satellite Phones

During the five years we’ve spent compiling these impressions worldwide, each destination required strict attention to satellite phone regulations. Many countries require expensive permits or ban satellite phones outright. Failure to obtain the necessary permissions can result in confiscated phones or stiff fines.

And it gets worse. In a handful of countries (India, North Korea, Libya, etc.), where satellite phones are illegal, unwitting travelers with phones in their luggage are regularly tossed in jail. Know before you go — you’ll be glad you did.

Talk or Text Messaging?

Before you chuck your inReach, SPOT, or Bivystick satellite messengers, evaluate the features you currently use and like. Satellite phones are great, but most don’t offer tracking features, GPS navigational aids, or detailed maps. In that regard, a satellite messenger might be your best bet.

As the cost of satellite phones and services continues to drop, one thing remains constant. When you’re in a jam far from home, hearing a friendly voice on the other end of a phone is priceless. Also, consider if your communication needs require the use of a satellite at all. For short-range chats between camps on Denali, we find that a powerful walkie-talkie makes it happen.

Price & Value

Satellite phones aren’t cheap pieces of technology, and while bounding strides of advancement have been made since their invention, prices still remain relatively high for the privilege of total off-grid voice communications. Still, there exists a range of satellite phones and, with it, a range of features you’ll have access to.

Budget

More budget-minded phones like the Globalstar GSP-1700 won’t provide the widest coverage, and there are certainly places on the planet where you won’t be able to get a call on the Globalstar network. But at a sub $500 price tag and with some of the cheaper service plans available, it can be an excellent way to get into a sat phone — if it covers where you’ll be going.

It’s also important to note that almost every text-only satellite messenger is $400 or less, with subscription plans also being more affordable. Consider if having access to voice calls is worth the extra dough you’ll drop for the privilege. If not, we favor the Garmin inReach Messenger ($300) over just about every other messenger out there.

Mid-Tier

Bumping up to the ~$800 satellite phones is going to be all about the network, and in our opinion, Iridium reigns here. With global coverage, we’ve had the best success at getting a call out on the Iridium GO! ($855) than any other phone. When you factor in that it also does SMS texting, email and internet access, and can connect to five phones, the value is outsized.

A mid-tier satellite phone like the Inmarsat IsatPhone 2 ($899) also makes a compelling case for itself, and while there are some areas it lacks, it does offer a good amount to make up for it. The biggest difference between this and the premium sat phones out there is going to be the network itself. The Inmarsat satellite network is still robust, but being geostationary and limited in satellites there is some delay in getting a signal.

Premium

The best satellite phones, which cost upward of $1,000, will add more accessory options to the handheld, such as remote antennas, larger battery packs, and headsets. The Iridium 9555 ($1,150) benefits from all of this, and the ability to stick an antenna outside of your basecamp tent for extended stays does seem to help reception.

The Iridium 9575 ($1,450), does everything the 9555 does, just with a military-grade durability rating for dust and water entry. We haven’t tested this phone yet, but the functionality should be exactly the same. In our minds, this is a steep price for a satellite phone, but if you want the absolute best voice-only sat phone out, this is it.

Frequently Asked Questions