GlobalStar Satellite Phones

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Globalstar GSP-1700 rental: read this before you book it

The GSP-1700 works inside the continental United States and nowhere else, which is why we rent an Iridium handset to almost everyone who asks about it. Iridium costs a little more and works everywhere, including the places a domestic trip ends up when plans change. If you have already decided on the GSP-1700, it is here and it ships the same day.

The date you choose is the day it arrives. Pick the day you want the equipment in your hands, not the day you leave. Your rental starts the day you receive it and ends the day we get it back, so leave yourself a day or two to test everything before you travel.

Globalstar GSP-1700 satellite phone rental, the handset covered on this page

Available now

What you can rent

Every unit is pre-tested and activated before it leaves the warehouse, so it works the moment you switch it on. Most orders ship the same day, and you can collect in San Diego if that beats waiting on a courier.

Special offer

Globalstar GSP-1700 Satellite Phone Rental

7 days: $34.99 + $7.99 /extra 1 day

Where the coverage stops

Globalstar's GSP-1700 covers the continental United States. That is the whole coverage map, and it is worth saying plainly rather than burying it in fine print: step outside the lower 48, onto a cruise ship, across the Canadian or Mexican border, or out past the coast, and the phone stops being a phone.

That matters more than it sounds like it should, because trips change. A drive that was going to stay in Arizona ends up in Sonora. A delivery job adds a leg to Vancouver. A coastal charter goes further out than planned. An Iridium handset does not care, and that is the reason we steer almost every rental toward it.

Why we usually rent Iridium instead

Most people who come looking for a Globalstar rental are describing a trip that Iridium would also cover, plus a few scenarios it would not. Backcountry hunting, a ranch with no cell signal, a canyon film shoot, a disaster response deployment, a crew working between towers: Iridium handles all of them, and it keeps working if the job moves.

The Iridium 9555 is the straightforward voice handset. The 9575 Extreme adds a one-touch SOS button and GPS tracking, so someone at home can see where the phone is. Neither has a coverage line to stay inside, which is one fewer thing to plan around.

If the trip leaves the country at all, go here instead

The moment the itinerary crosses a border, the GSP-1700 is the wrong rental. For worldwide coverage, including the poles, rent an Iridium phone. For coverage across most of the world outside the extreme polar regions, the longest battery life in the fleet, and the only network India permits, look at the Inmarsat IsatPhone 2.

Both reach ground the GSP-1700 cannot, and neither asks you to check a map before you leave.

How the three networks compare

Swipe the table sideways to see every column.

	Globalstar GSP-1700	Iridium	Inmarsat IsatPhone 2
Where it works	Continental United States only	Worldwide, pole to pole	Worldwide except the extreme polar regions
Legal in India	Not applicable, US only	Not permitted at all	Permitted, with a permit obtained before travel
Good fit for	Domestic trips that never cross a border	Polar routes and true worldwide travel	Long trips where battery life matters most

What ships with it

Every GSP-1700 rental ships pre-tested, activated, and verified before it leaves the warehouse, with a canvas bag, two fully charged batteries, a wall charger, international adapters, and a quick cheat-sheet guide. Point the antenna straight up, keep a clear view of the sky, and it's ready to use as soon as it arrives.

As with any satellite handset, step outside to an open view of the sky and keep the antenna extended and vertical for the whole call. Left switched off between calls, the battery holds its charge for months, so there's no need to top it up while it's sitting in a truck or a pack waiting for the next stop.

Questions people ask before they book

Does the GSP-1700 work outside the United States?

No. It covers the continental United States only. If any part of the trip leaves the country, even a short stretch across the border, rent an Iridium or Inmarsat phone instead, since both of those reach far beyond the US and the GSP-1700 does not.

Will it work on a cruise or offshore?

No, coverage stops at the continental US and does not extend out to sea beyond it. For maritime use, or any trip that leaves domestic waters, the Inmarsat or Iridium rentals are the better fit and won't drop out once the coastline is behind you.

What's included in the rental?

A canvas bag, two fully charged batteries, a wall charger, international adapters, and a quick cheat-sheet guide. Every unit is pre-tested and activated before it ships, so there's nothing to configure once it's in hand and the trip can start on schedule.

What happens if I go over my included minutes?

The service is not switched off. Extra usage past the prepaid minutes is billed at the standard rate, so there's no risk of being left without a phone mid-trip just because a call ran long or the week turned out busier than planned.

Is a Globalstar phone legal to use across the US?

Yes. Satellite phones are legal in the United States and in most countries, and the GSP-1700 is built specifically for use inside it, with no permit or paperwork required the way a trip to certain other countries would need before you could even switch it on.