satellite phone providers in india

Terrorists involved in the Mumbai terror attacks were tech-savvy. If you've been following news on television, you'd have heard about the terrorists using 'satellite phones' for communication; one of these devices was recovered from a trawler abandoned on the high seas.
As it turns out, this gadget is now one of the most crucial pieces of evidence connected to the terror attacks on Mumbai that provides some proof about the identity of the terrorists; it shows that calls have been made to Karachi before and after attacks commenced.

Reportedly, Thuraya-to-Thuraya satellite phones were used by these terrorists to ensure that there was no record of the conversations between them and their handlers in Pakistan.

Now, you've heard of cell phones; what on earth is a satellite phone?

Cell phones and satellite phones are both mobile phones. The basic difference between the two is that cell phones are dependent on the networks of terrestrial cell antennas, while a satellite phone or satphone, on the other hand, uses orbiting satellites for connectivity.

Satellite phones are normally operated through International Marine Satellite (Inmarsat) Communication, for which the Land Earth Station (LES) in India is located at Arvi, near Pune.

Why use a satellite phone?

Satellite phones can come in handy when you're in a disaster-struck area and your usual cell phone network becomes clogged due to the large number of calls being dialed. Also, if you plan to go to a place where no cell phone network provider has dared to provide services, a satellite phone can keep you connected with the rest of civilization.

Services to the satellite phones used by the terrorists in the Mumbai terror attacks were provided by 'Thuraya,' which covers 99 countries including India.

Essentially, satellite phones are used around the world by those on expeditions in the high seas, north/south poles, and by those who live in mountainous or dense forest regions.

Interestingly, these phones can also keep your conversations classified, so you need not worry about the Navies and Coast Guards eavesdropping while you are talking the talk.

How do satellite phones work?

The functioning of cellular phones depends on zones or small base stations called cells . As a user moves from one area to another or a cell, the call is handed off from the old to a new cell.

In case of satellite phones, there is no concept of cells or cell towers. The most popular hand held satellite telephones use Low Earth Orbiting (LEO) satellites, while another one is geosynchronous orbit . When one turns on the satellite phone the signal goes up to any number of satellites in a compatible constellation where it is then registered with the constellation.

Popular companies offering satellite phone services are Iridium, Globalstar, and Dubai-based Thuraya, one which was used by the terrorists involved in the Mumbai terror attacks.

Where can you get a satellite phone in India for personal use?

Well, you most probably can't because personal use of satellite phones is not legal in India. Our country does not offer licences for operating satellite phones on a commercial basis.

However, INMARSAT (International Maritime Satellite Organisation) phones are available through Tata Communications (formerly VSNL) but these are sold only to security and government agencies. Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) also provides a variant of the phone, called digital satellite public telephone (DSPT), but these too are installed only as public telephones in villages.

What can we do to restrict tech-savvy terrorists who use satellite phones?

Block them! There are mobile phone jammers available that can obstruct the use of these devices. Reportedly, DoT officials have said that they are exploring ways to monitor and jam (when necessary) satellite phone communications in India.

One can only wait and watch to see how long it takes the concerned agencies to do just that. Hopefully, the country will be better prepared to tackle such attacks carried out by cold-blooded killers in the future, who would probably be equipped with more sophisticated weapons and communication gadgets.