A question for DUers whom have served in Iraq or had someone in Iraq

[me b zola]

What kind of phone works in Iraq? My son called to say that he's having having difficulties getting to talk to my DIL who is in Iraq. He said that they need a special kind of phone with a "thin card?" or a laptop to be able to call.

I don't know which base that she is on, but he said that they have to take a bus to the payphones, but after working 12 hour days it is dark when she gets off work and can only be "out & about" if she goes with someone else. Her buddy and her were split up so she really doesn't have another gal-pal to travel with.

Argh. I feel really small right now. I didn't know that she was even in Iraq. She was supposed to ship-out over 6 months ago but kept getting the breaks that allowed her to stay. When my son told me last month that she would be shipping out 11/31 I just blew it off because so many of those dates have come & gone. Shit, I would have already mailed a care package or two, I hope I can get her one by Christmas.


Damn, anyway, does anyone know about the phones?


Could you guys that are just viewing the thread please give it a kick until I get some info? TIA

[me b zola]

1. well, ok, I'll kick my own thread

[Genki]

3. kick n/t

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. my hubby told me that

they do have a different network system (where the compatibility card comes in) and that there is quite a bit of jamming

Your best bet, and it ain't cheap, a satellite phone or the laptop

[Nickster]

4. Here's some stuff that I found. It looks like the thin card is a security card

that gets slid into the computer. The computer then gets a wireless signal. From there, the computer is able to place a voice call over that network.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A54030-2003Apr18.html

Here's some things from Cisco that look pertinent:

http://www.cisco.com/web/about/gov/downloads/779/govtaffairs/archive/eupdates/eUpdatev3i14.pdf


Here's some info on a sat phone:

http://www.globalcomsatphone.com/satellite/services/globalstar_iraq.html

[me b zola]

5. Thanks Nickster

I'm going to do the reading now :hi:

[Nickster]

7. This looks really good, I've heard about doing this before.

You get an unlocked cell phone and get a pre-paid sim card that you can put into the phone. That way the cell phone is able to make calls as if it was local.

http://www.telestial.com/view_product.php?PRODUCT_ID=LSIM-IQ01

Also, have you thought about vonage? They have that keychain device that you can plug into the USB port of a laptop and make calls from the laptop. I don't know if that's secure enough on the military network, but it might be worth looking at.

http://www.vonage.com/device.php?type=VPHONE

[QuestionAll...]

6. pm Joe for Clark.

sorry, that's all I have. besides tears.

[jody]

8. Thanks so much for reminding me how wonderful it was to call my wife and children from Vietnam.

Please browse the links below for possible help.

https://thor.milexch.com/scs/default.aspx

http://blog.tmcnet.com/blog/tom-keating/voip/us-soldiers-in-iraq-using-voip-to-call-home.asp

http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/2004/nr20040423-0646.html

Thanks again because I intend to get involved and make certain every troop in Iraq has easy access to phones.

God bless our troops overseas and may they return home quickly and safely from this immoral war.