Is technology here today, for a small (fit in your pocket) hand held
phone, to have satellite reception and transmission.

If available, and you can carry it on your person, what is approximate
size of the satellite reception and transmission phone?

Do any of today?s popular phones, such as the BlackBerry, have any
satellite connection?

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Request for Question Clarification by justaskscott-ga on 28 Aug 2005 22:33 PDT

Does thompson_rk's comment answer your question; or is there a part of
your question that remains unanswered?  If the latter, I or another
Researcher will be happy to do some research.

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Clarification of Question by clicker5-ga on 29 Aug 2005 10:48 PDT

I have several friends who have the new BlackBerry, and also the T-Mobile phones.  
These devices send and receive voice, e-mail, messages, etc. Almost
everyone thinks they can send and receive from a satellite.

It is easy for me to believe that a small hand held device can receive
from a satellite (such as GPS), but it is hard for me to believe a
small hand held device has enough power to send a message up to a
satellite.

Any hand held satellite sending devices I have heard about, are the
size and weight of a 2 pound butter carton.

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Request for Question Clarification by justaskscott-ga on 29 Aug 2005 10:54 PDT

If we can show that a small hand-held device -- such as the Blackberry
or the new T-Mobile phones -- can send and receive from a satellite,
would that be an answer to your question?

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Clarification of Question by clicker5-ga on 29 Aug 2005 11:42 PDT

I see now:  My question has 2 parts.  

First part: Can the BlackBerry or T-Mobile phones connect directly to
a satellite, as some of my friend?s believe?

Second part: Are there light weight hand held devices (such as the
BlackBerry) that connect directly to a satellite, available for
purchase?

Ericsson R190 - Operates in both satellite and GSM 900 modes
   130 x 50 x 32 mm            
http://www.acesinternational.com/corporate/index.php?fuseaction=Product.term-mobile
This phone operates on GSM 900 networks, and on the ACeS (Asia
Cellular Satellite) network ("The ACeS coverage area is over 11
million square miles extending from Pakistan and India in the west, to
the Philippines and Papua New Guinea in the east, and from Japan and
China in the north down to Indonesia in the south.")

Motorola 9505A - Iridium Satellite Network
   158 x 62 x 59 mm 
   http://www.infosat.com/services/iridium/motorola_9505_phone.htm
This phone works on the Iridium network.  They claim the coverage is
global. (As long as you're not in a building)

Globalstar GSP-1600 - Globalstar / GSM phone
   177 x 57 mm x 48 mm
   http://www.globalstarusa.com/en/products/prod_display.php?id=1&target=Tab2
When outside cellular coverage it connects to the Globalstar satellite
network.     See the coverage map here ...
http://www.globalstarusa.com/en/content.php?cid=300

I know of know "Blackberry" device that uses a satellite network. 
Though, the phones above can connect to PDA/Laptops, and SMS.

Maybe if Teledesic?