Portable Satellite Phones for Travelers

I've been thinking about going on an extended trip around the world, and a portable satellite phone is one thing I'll be sure to bring with me. For anyone who has traveled much at all, they know that keeping in touch while you're in a different city or country every week is a challenge. No sane person will pay the international long distance phone rates that you're hotel will ask. Buying a local phone card can be a decent solution and is more affordable, but you'll always need to be near a landline phone or coin operated phone in order to use it. Finally, a prepaid phone card is best for making calls but useless for receiving calls. What if you could have the same phone number for making calls AND receiving calls anywhere in the world?
A portable satellite phone gives you this ability. With it, you can make or receive calls from virtually any city and country in the world. As a bonus, a portable satellite phone will even work where there's no normal cell phone coverage: your portable satellite phone talks with satellites that orbit the earth instead of cell phone towers which must be closer than several miles away.
A portable satellite phone is also a better option that purchasing local SIM cards. A local SIM card will let you use a mobile phone like the locals do, but it will be expensive for outgoing calls, and you'll need to tell your friends at home your new number each time. In contrast, a portable satellite phone will always have the same phone number wherever you go. Give your friends, colleagues and family your portable satellite phone number, and they will be able to reach you wherever you travel!
A portable satellite phone is also nice to have with you during a travel emergency. You'll never need to borrow a phone if you encounter an emergency, and your portable satellite phone will even work if you are stranded far from a city. A good example is a mountain expedition or a rafting trip. A normal cell phone would never work, but you can easily chat with your child before they sleep while using a portable satellite phone.
You can even purchase a small solar unit to power your portable satellite phone almost indefinitely without needing to plug in. If you plan to travel extensively in rural areas without a traditional power grid, a portable satellite phone along with a solar charger is literally your only option for staying in touch via phone!