Thuraya Australia Network Closure | FAQs
Pivotel Thuraya Services in Australia were delivered using the Thuraya 3 (T3) Satellite. Thuraya has advised they have suffered a sustained Force Majeure Event which prevents services being delivered in the T3 coverage area which includes Australia. Services are no longer available and are unable to be recovered in the foreseeable future. Pivotel has now suspended all Thuraya services.
What happened?
On the 16th of April, 2024 Thuraya services in Australia became unavailable on the T3 satellite. Thuraya has worked exhaustively with the satellite manufacturer to recover services on the T3 satellite. Thuraya has now determined it is unable to recover the services in Australia using the T3 Satellite and has declared a Force Majeure Event. Thuraya has terminated its agreement with Pivotel to provide Thuraya services under the Force Majeure provisions of that agreement. The operating status of the Thuraya 3 (T3) Satellite was reviewed in 2020 by the satellite manufacturer Boeing, on behalf of Thuraya, to determine its expected operational life. The review included analysis of the satellite’s subsystems and orbital parameters and Boeing concluded that T3 would continue to operate as designed until 2031. Thuraya’s satellite refresh planning intended to replace Thuraya 3 in advance of 2031. Based on this review neither Pivotel nor Thuraya could have reasonably anticipated the Force Majeure event that has occurred.
What does this mean for me?
Your Pivotel Thuraya satellite service has now been suspended with no ongoing cost to you. You will no longer be able to make and receive calls, SMS or data using your Pivotel Thuraya service. You can no longer make Emergency Calls to 000 using your Thuraya satellite phone.
I need a way to stay in touch in remote areas. What should I do?
We are actively working to put together special offers for Pivotel Thuraya customers to move to another Pivotel satellite phone network service. We’ll let you know when those offers are ready. In the meantime, if you have an urgent need for an alternative satellite phone you can order a phone and service at www.pivotel.com.au or contact our Customer Care team at 1300 882 448.
What will happen with my Pivotel bill?
You will not be charged for any Thuraya services since the service stopped working. We have suspended your Pivotel Thuraya services and backdated the suspension to 15th April 2024. You will receive a credit on your next bill for any service access fees charged in advance for services after 15th April 2024. If this credit puts your account into a credit balance, and you have no other Pivotel services, we will arrange a refund for you. You do not have to take any action now.
What will happen with my Thuraya phone or data terminal?
Unfortunately, your Thuraya phone or data terminal will no longer be able to be used to access Thuraya services in Australia for the foreseeable future. If you wish to access a different satellite service network other than Thuraya you will need to obtain a phone or data terminal for that network. Please refer to the special offers for Pivotel Thuraya customers to move to another Pivotel satellite phone network service.
I just bought my Thuraya phone or data terminal – can I get a refund?
You may be eligible for a full or partial refund for a Thuraya phone or data terminal you purchased from Pivotel, or from a supplier who purchased the phone or terminal from Pivotel. A selection of offers will be emailed to you in the coming days. We will also provide an online process for you to request a refund if you are eligible. To be eligible you will need to provide Proof of Purchase, the terminal serial number so that we can confirm it was distributed by Pivotel, and will be subject to the age of the terminal. We will notify you when the online process is ready. If you purchased your handset from a Pivotel dealer, you should discuss your options with the dealer who may be able to assist you.
What if my satellite phone or data terminal wasn’t distributed by Pivotel?
Thuraya satellite phones and data terminals were independently imported and distributed by several parties including Optus who was also a provider of Thuraya services until recently. If your satellite phone or data terminal was distributed by another party you will not be eligible for a Pivotel refund or credit regardless of the age of the terminal. We will make discounted offers for satellite phones and data terminals to all affected customers and you may apply to take up this offer and move to an alternative satellite service.
Can I keep my Pivotel number?
Pivotel will reserve the mobile number/s associated with your Thuraya service/s for up to 6 months. When you connect a new service with another Pivotel satellite network you will be able to allocate your service number to that service.
Will there be special offers for alternative services and when will they be available?
We notified you of the special offers that are available to you on Friday the 10th of May 2024. Please read all of this information and decide which offer suits you best.
We have offers for you to switch your service and number to a Pivotel Inmarsat service with an Inmarsat Isatphone 2 or to a Pivotel Iridium service with an Iridium 9555 Satellite phone or Iridium GO!
While we have been working on these special offers, we have also been busy implementing the systems needed to enable you to apply to transfer your Pivotel Thuraya service and number to a replacement service on another satellite network.
We expect the online systems to be in place to enable you to apply for your replacement service no later than the close of business next Wednesday the 15th of May 2024.
For you to take up your offer in the online application portal you will need the login credentials for your Pivotel Account. While you wait for the offers and access to the online application portal, we recommend you check your login access.
- Click here to go to Pivotel Self-Care and enter your account number and password to check you can login.
- Your Account Number is - you can also see it on your Pivotel monthly invoice.
- If you don’t know your password, or you forgot your password, click the Forgot Password link, enter your Account number, and click continue. You will be sent a link by email to set a new password.
What if I recently purchased my handset and do not wish to take up one of the special offers?
If you choose not to take up one of the special offers, you may be eligible for a full or partial refund depending on the age and working condition of your Thuraya handset. We shared the refund conditions and steps required at the same time as we shared the special offers.
If you have a credit balance in your account, and you choose not to take up an alternative service from Pivotel, we will arrange a refund for you. If you pay by direct debit, we will process the refund to the Credit Card or Bank Account you use for Direct Debit. If we are unable to process a refund this way, we will contact you and advise you of the steps to follow to set up your bank account or credit card details.
If you are eligible you will receive your refund, or we will contact you about your refund within 60 days if not sooner.
Thuraya has issued a notification that they are continuing to restore services in the affected geographies. Will that include Australia?
Thuraya has restored services in some regions that were previously in the western part of the Thuraya 3 (T3) coverage area by reconfiguring satellite beams on the Thuraya 2 (T2) satellite. T2 sits over the equator near East Africa. The T2 satellite cannot be reconfigured to provide service in Australia. No services have been recovered on the T3 satellite.
What if I have a credit balance on my Pivotel account?
If you have a credit balance on your Pivotel account, and you choose not to take up an alternative service from Pivotel, we will arrange a refund for you. If you pay by direct debit, we will process the refund to the Credit Card or Bank Account you use for Direct Debit. If we are unable to process a refund this way, we will contact you and advise you of the steps to follow to set up your bank account or credit card details.
If you are eligible, you will receive your refund, or we will contact you about your refund within 60 days or sooner. You don’t have to do anything now.
Last Updated 16th May 2024 | Thuraya Network Closure - Australia