Global Mobile Satellite System
Encyclopedia
The Global Mobile Satellite System (GMSS) is a general term referring to the selection of satellite phone
Satellite phone
A satellite telephone, satellite phone, or satphone is a type of mobile phone that connects to orbiting satellites instead of terrestrial cell sites...

 providers available to private customers. It is a term analogous to PLMN, referring to wireless telephony (cellular) carriers, and PSTN, referring to traditional wire-based telephony
Plain old telephone service
Plain old telephone service is the voice-grade telephone service that remains the basic form of residential and small business service connection to the telephone network in many parts of the world....

.

As of 2008, the allocated GMSS carriers are:
  • Iridium Satellite LLC
  • Globalstar
    Globalstar
    Globalstar is a low Earth orbit satellite constellation for satellite phone and low-speed data communications, somewhat similar to the Iridium satellite constellation and Orbcomm satellite systems.-History:...

  • Ellipso (a non-operational service, with no satellites launched)
  • ICO Global Communications


In 1996, the ITU introduced country code +881 for direct international dialing of phones on a GMSS provider. (Inmarsat
Inmarsat
Inmarsat plc is a British satellite telecommunications company, offering global, mobile services. It provides telephony and data services to users worldwide, via portable or mobile terminals which communicate to ground stations through eleven geostationary telecommunications satellites...

 had already been allocated country codes +870 - +874.) The next digit following the country code is allocated (two at a time) to a particular GMSS carrier:
CarrierGMSS codes
ICO
881 0
+881 1
Ellipso
881 2
+881 3
spare
881 4
+881 5
Iridium
881 6
+881 7
Globalstar
Globalstar
Globalstar is a low Earth orbit satellite constellation for satellite phone and low-speed data communications, somewhat similar to the Iridium satellite constellation and Orbcomm satellite systems.-History:...

881 8
+881 9

Satellite numbers outside the GMSS country code =
Inmarsat
Inmarsat
Inmarsat plc is a British satellite telecommunications company, offering global, mobile services. It provides telephony and data services to users worldwide, via portable or mobile terminals which communicate to ground stations through eleven geostationary telecommunications satellites...

 is a satellite-based communications provider, but it is primarily a maritime service and is not generally considered part of the GMSS.

Globalstar
Globalstar
Globalstar is a low Earth orbit satellite constellation for satellite phone and low-speed data communications, somewhat similar to the Iridium satellite constellation and Orbcomm satellite systems.-History:...

 usually allocates subscribers with a local number in the country they are based rather than using their GMSS country code.

Iridium also uses an Arizona-based access number to call Iridium phones for those unwilling or unable to call the usually expensive GMSS number directly.

Thuraya
Thuraya
Thuraya , the Arabic name of the Pleiades, is a regional satellite phone provider. Its coverage area is most of Europe, the Middle East, North, Central and East Africa, Asia and Australia....

 has been assigned +882-16 which is part of the +882 country code.
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