Satellite phones require an activated SIM card in order to function. Prepaid or postpaid SIM cards can be accessed through various providers including Satcom, IEC Telecom, Marlink, Danimex and Selex. CRS HRD has an account with Satcom for its propositioned satellite phones. In some operating countries prepaid Sim cards can be purchased locally from satellite phone vendors.
The choice between using prepaid v postpaid Sim cards can be influenced by the security context, and the level control and accountability the management have over the satellite phone use. Once activated postpaid accounts are managed like any regular phone plan with the user billed for the calls make and received at agreed plan rates with a $25 to $40 monthly service charge. However, if postpaid accounts are not well managed and monitored it is not uncommon to find charges for postpaid SIM card accounts running into the thousands of dollars per month.
Prepaid accounts offer greater control over spending, including limited liability if the phone is stolen or the misused. However, prepaid accounts can leave team members without communication when they run out of credit. For this reason it is recommended that postpaid account are used in insecure environments where immediate ability to make and receive calls is considered vital for the safely and wellbeing of staff.
Service provider: IEC Telecom (Safa Telecom):
IEC offers various advantages such as issuing immediately Sim cards; online portal for sim card usage monitoring and management, including; request activation/suspension/deactivation anytime, full visibility on the sim cards non active/active/deactivated, get access to invoices and CDRS and more facilities.
| Requesting Sim cards | Email to SAFA support@safa-telecom.com and specify the number and type of sim cards required and corresponding devise (e.i. thuraya sat phone pre-paid; Inmarsat Sim cards postpaid…) – Sim cards are generally issued the same day and sent through DHL / UPS for free of charge. |
| Activation | There are 2 ways to activate the sim cards: using PDF form or to subscribe to OPTISIM. For both mechanism email support@safa-telecom.com to obtain the forms or request OPTISIM subscriber agreement. OPTISIM service is free of charge.
NOTE: IEC Telecom will only activate or credit the cards that have been purchased from them. IEC Telecom also offers online support and training to manage OPTISIM |
| Activation Option: Postpaid Satellite Phone Sim Cards | Activation allows the customer to set up a monthly credit limit for each sim card. Once this limit is reached, the sim cards will be suspended until the end of the month. The next month it will be re-initialized the first day of the month. |
| Activation Option: Satellite Internet Sim Cards | Activation allows the customer to set up a monthly credit limit for each sim cards. Once this limit is reached, the sim cards will be suspended until the end of the month. The next month it will be re-initialized the first day of the month.
However the Internet Sim cards based on selected provider (Inmarsat. Thuraya..) offers different type of packages, mainly based on duration and fixed monthly fees |
| Deactivation Sat Phone Sim Cards | Can be done at any time as charge is based on phone usage |
| Deactivation Sat Internet Sim Cards | Cannot be done – once a package has been subscribed for it cannot be deactivated until the end of the subscription period.
However a package can be changed to a hire category but not to a lower category |