• Shadow@lemmy.ca
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    27 days ago

    The fact that the latest phones include satellite comms, is pretty awesome.

    • ramble81@lemmy.zip
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      27 days ago

      I was just thinking that too. Will I ever use it? 99.99% chance no. But to realize I now have a device that could connect anywhere on earth? That’s pretty awesome. I remember back in the early 2000s, our company gave us a satellite phone while we were traveling internationally “for extreme emergencies only” that was something like $16/minute.

    • jqubed@lemmy.world
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      27 days ago

      I do appreciate that when driving to/from my wife’s parents where there are a couple stretches lacking in cell service

      • Shadow@lemmy.ca
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        27 days ago

        It’s strictly for emergencies. Afaik you have to hold your phone to the sky and be patient to get your text message out. .

        • jqubed@lemmy.world
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          27 days ago

          Exactly; if I’ve stopped in those remote mountain areas while driving through them I’ve probably had an emergency and the satellite might be my fastest way to get help.

          One of the areas is a ~43 mile stretch of I-87 in the Adirondacks without reliable service where the state put in radiotelephones every 2 miles along the highway, although it looks like that gap has started to be closed and the state started removing the phones 2 years ago.

  • Krauerking@lemy.lol
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    27 days ago

    The dude relaxing has it right.
    Technically there is a device that auto launches from the bridge the moment it gets wet that announces gps location and last navigation events. Like a buoy black box.
    And its very reliable cause the Bridge is normally about 8+ floors above sea level so if its getting wet its reasonable to be sending an emergency signal.