Phone at Sea

[OtisLovesUs]

If a person is on a ship out to sea, one day from shore (whatever distance that might be), and they call someone's cell phone on shore, is the only option a satellite phone? Or is there some other technology I'm not aware of?

-Thanks

[seh]

Re: Phone at Sea

I can only tell you that when I'm fishing 4 hours off of New Jersey (80-90 miles), the only calls we can get through on are sat phones. If another technology exists, it's not on the boat we charter.

[OtisLovesUs]

Re: Phone at Sea

Thanks, seh.

And that leads to a secondary question: If I write sat phone (vs. satellite phone) in the script is there anyone who isn't going to know what I'm talking about? It's a very minor point, I know, but sat phone just sounds cooler, and the person being introduced in this scene, who is on the phone, is supposed to be very cool.

[RogerOThornhill]

Re: Phone at Sea

Cruise ships will connect you via satellite for $15 a minute.



In olde days of yore, there were long-haul truckers and CB radios. Then an enterprising company started a service where they connected truckers on CBs to a call center that then connected them to whatever phone number they desired. After a big scuffle with the old AT&T monopoly, the cellular phone industry was born. If your character is within ship-to-shore radio distance, it is likely a similar service exists at many ports.

[seh]

Re: Phone at Sea

Thanks, seh.

And that leads to a secondary question: If I write sat phone (vs. satellite phone) in the script is there anyone who isn't going to know what I'm talking about? It's a very minor point, I know, but sat phone just sounds cooler, and the person being introduced in this scene, who is on the phone, is supposed to be very cool.

I agree it's a minor point, and I would only say you have more to lose by our reader NOT getting it than to gain by your reader getting it, so I would just say:

JOHN
(on satellite phone)
Six foot seas my ass! Next time we're goin' for catfish.

or whatever.
Good luck.