I think satellite communication is pretty cool – the fact that you can call from anywhere in the world, and not have to rely on rubbish coverage from service providers is quite a precious tool.
However until know it’s not been usable with the iPhone. Thuaraya’s Sat Sleeve gives your iPhone satellite calling and texting capability, so you don’t have to worry about getting lost on a long hike or your calls getting dropped while driving through the English countryside.
In addition the satellite functionality, the sleeve will also charge your phone, and you can even use it to make an emergency call without the iPhone inside. Thuraya hasn’t yet made pricing publicly available, if you’re interested you should contact its customer care.
Also worth noting that it’s currently only available for iPhone 4/4s, although an iPhone 5 version is apparently in the works.
As for coverage, it covers most of the world, except seemingly South Africa, Madagascar, and some remote parts of Russia. Check out the details with the map below (click for full size).
