For the sake of discussion, let’s say your island is too far from the mainland to be accessible by a telephone landline or cellular network. You’ve got to keep in touch no matter where you are, but consider who you’re going to be contacting the most and why. From there, you can determine what your needs technology-wise will be, and how much you should be spending on keeping yourself connected- despite being an island unto yourself.

In recent years, two-way radios have become popular with consumers looking for an alternative to cellphones. In addition to the General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS), the Family Radio Service- FRS for short- has provided ultra high frequency (UHF) radio communication to the North American public since 1994. Operating above the bandwidth used by cordless phones, remote-controlled toys and other radio devices, the FRS is a dedicated system, minimizing radio interference to ensure clarity. Read more »

Depending on the location of your island you may not be able to get cell phone reception and land lines may not be available in the area. Therefore in order to stay in contact with the outside world you may want to use a Satellite Phone. Unlike cellular phones that rely on cell towers for signal transmission, satellite telephones or “Satphones” use Low Earth Orbiting (LEO) satellites for transmission. When you turn on your satellite phone and make a call the signal goes to the orbiting satellites where it is directed by the gateway to the call destination. The call can be directed to either a land line or a cellular network. The reverse of this process is also true in that a land line or cellular phone can also call your satellite phone on your island. This process allows you to use your phone even when you are on a remote island far from a cell phone tower.

While there is some variation in systems most satellite phones will work anywhere on the planet. Modern satellite phones resemble the cell phones of the 1980’s and will most likely continue to shrink in size. Satellite phones have large antennas that protrude from the phone in order to provide the necessary reception. Reception on satellite phones is general good but may vary depending on your location. The more unobstructed the sky is the better your signal will be. Solar flares and dwellings tends to be the biggest obstructions.

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