To be told by T-Mobile that even if there is some weird glitch in the satellite phone system instituted by the cruise line, that my problem is with THE OTHER CELL-PHONE COMPANY and not T-Mobile, is the height of arrogance and shoddy treatment of their customers.

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He had the use of a satellite phone paid for by the federation so it could contact him while on holiday, the report said.

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The information, which can include traffic information, weather, stock quotes, news, sports and dozens of other snippets, would be transmitted to the watches not by any fancy third-generation wireless phone technology, nor via satellite, but rather by FM radio signals using a technology called DirectBand.

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And if you can think of anything you want us to contact either by Internet or by phone, or if you want to (inaudible) yourself, I will bring a satellite phone...

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The satellite network that the phone talks to is provided by Inmarsat once an inter-governmental collaboration, but now a company, also based in London.

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Satellite operators have responded by forming partnerships to patch together similar offers with phone companies including Verizon Communications Inc.

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They could soon be enjoying vast new fortunes, showered from above by cheap satellite-based digiphones from Iridium, Qualcomm, Teledesic and others -- each phone with an Internet address.

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Cable, satellite and phone companies, notorious for high levels of customer dissatisfaction, could turn that around by improving the user experience.

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At first, the Strand-1 satellite will be controlled by a standard onboard computer, but in phase two of the mission, a Google Nexus phone will take the reins - equipped with a number of special apps.

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