Inmarsat has quietly announced IsatPhone burn rate and price increases for both prepaid and postpaid airtime.
We've contacted our GMN customers about the increases (haven't heard from us? Please let us know).
We had heard about this awhile back, but now it's certain: your IsatPhone airtime is going up.
The tricky thing here is that Inmarsat isn't grandfathering in any existing minutes or plans. That's right. It doesn't matter if you bought your airtime back when airtime was even less expensive than it is now: your airtime is going up.
For prepaid customers, what changes is not the price you paid (that's not going to change) but what Inmarsat calls the burn rate.
Right now the burn rate for IsatPhone Pros is 1 unit = 1 minute of talk time. Buying a 25 unit prepaid airtime card means that you get 25 minute of talk time. Easy, right?
Starting September 1st, the burn rate is going to go from 1 unit = 1 minute to 1.3 units = 1 minute. So that same 25 unit prepaid airtime card is going to get you 19 minutes of talk time, instead of the 25 minutes you get right now.
IsatPhone Pro postpaid airtime isn't going to have a burn-rate increase...but prices are going up. Inmarsat is also discontinuing their postpaid humanitarian plans.
Price changes are expected to be as follows (subject to change):
IsatPhone Pro Standard Plan
Current price: $33.95 per month
New price: $39.99 per month
IsatPhone Pro Allowance 20
Current price: $39.95
New price: $46.99 per month
IsatPhone Pro Allowance 60
Current price: $61.95
New price: No change
There is an option available to avoid the airtime price increases and burn-rate increases:
We’re experts at satellite airtime and can help make sure you have the right plan. For more information about the specific plans and rates offered by the carriers, feel free to get in contact with us.