I'm investigating getting a satellite phone for emergencies but am a little overwhelmed by the options.
We have a cabin in Vermont that's outside cell coverage. Landline is available but unreliable and expensive (we had one and got rid of it because it seemed to never be up).
I started investigating satellite phones but am having a hard time comparing because there are 3 major providers (Iridium, Inmarsat, Globalstar) who all price their plans differently. I really just want the lowest cost plan that would let someone make and receive voice calls in an emergency (and maybe send texts), probably averaging 30 minutes a year.
I found one company that seems to be selling Inmarsat plans at $35/month. Is that all I need if I had the phone? Are there other charges on Inmarsat's side? Is that the best deal out there?