Military Grade Cell Phones - You Can't Call if Your Phone is Broken

I have never promoted any products on my blog, but this phone blew me away. I carry my phone in my back pocket and I always worry if I'm working on something alone and should fall I could break my phone and have no way to call for help.

I was researching phones for a new first responder broadband network and ran across the Sonim line of rugged phones. All their phones looked great and I wanted to check one out with out paying $339.00 at AT&T for the XP5. I found a Sonim XP5 on eBay for $10.00 with $5.00 shipping, so I took a chance and bought it. It didn't come with a charging cable so I had to buy the Sonim special charging cable for $24. It's needed because it's waterproof and you can submerse it in water for 30 minutes... I put in a H2o sim card from eBay and it took 10 minutes to setup the phone and get it working online at H2o Wireless.

Sonim XP5
This is the phone I bought for $39.00 with shipping. It looked like new and even still had the protective film you see on new phones on the camera.

The Sonim XP5 is NOT a smartphone it does talk and text send pictures and things fine. It does have some limited Internet access but it's not easy to use, but good to have for emergencies. This phone is great.....

Pros
Very Rugged, Sunlight Viewable, 20 hours talk time and 25 day standby time, you can use it with gloves, and it had a dedicated PTT button . If you can't hear your phone this one is really loud, no I mean REALLY LOUD 104 db loud.

According to American Hearing 100 db is as loud as a chainsaw, pneumatic drill, or snowmobile. They warn 2 hours per day is the maximum exposure without protection. So I mean really loud, good thing it has a volume control. For first responders or others in loud environments this phone is made to be heard. 

Cons
No touchscreen, limited Internet email access, no Google Apps but has some limited apps, uses a non-standard charging cable.

I loved this phone but my wife want's it because it's simple to use and she can't break it. She hates computers.....

Sonim XP7 
I decided to get the Sonim XP7 Smartphone so I could use Google. The XP7 is an Ultra-Rugged smartphone with a 4" screen you can see in bright sunlight. It has a dedicated PTT button, a very loud speaker 103 db, and a battery to get the mission done. It's also water proof and you can use the touch screen with your wet work gloves.

It has up to 40 hours of talk time and a standby time up to 1000 hours, that's 41 days of standby time.

The Sonim XP7 is $850 new, I paid $180 for an unlocked XP7 that works on any GSM system like AT&T or H2o Wireless.






Sonim XP6
If you like the physical keypad but want the capabilities of a smartphone there's the Sonim XP6. It's a smartphone with a 2.63" touch screen. It has the same rugged features like being waterproof, daylight viewable, long battery life and a PTT button.

If your looking for a rugged cell phone or smart phone these are good choices. Used prices online run from $40 to $180 for any of the Sonim phones. Sonim has a number of rugged phones on the Sonim Devices Page

In any type of emergency from a simple fall to a major traffic accident the ability to advise first responders of the type of emergency location, and what resources are needed all depend on reliable communications. Let's be prepared for ?????