For many years now Satellite phones have been able to connect to the internet. Bandwidth varies from about 2400 bps for Iridium and ACeS based phones to 15 kbps upstream and 60 kbps downstream for Thuraya handsets. Globalstar also provides internet access at 9600 bps - like Iridium and ACeS a dial-up connection is required and is billed per minute, however both Globalstar and Iridium are planning to launch new satellites offering always-on data services at higher speeds. With Thuraya phones the 9600bps dial-up connection is also possible, the 60 kbps service is always-on and the user is billed for data transferred (about $5 per megabyte). The phones can be connected to a laptop or other computer using a USB or RS-232 interface. Due to the low bandwidths involved it is extremely slow to browse the web with such a connection, but useful for sending email, ssh and using other low-bandwidth protocols. Since satellite phones tend to have omnidrectional antennae no alignment is required as long as there is a line of sight between the phone and the satellite.
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