I bought this game yesterday I have played it before and had a lot of fun with it. I played it for a couple of hours yesterday and then came back today tried opening the SAT Phone with the tab key and it didn't work.
Nothing has been changed and I see by searching the internet there are a few others with the same issue but no fixes listed. Because of the fact the game doesn't allow control change it makes it a little difficult to just change it and continue on... I have started new games and it doesn't make a difference.
Do I have to reinstall or is there an easier solution?

Well I think I might just return the game... Took it back today got a different disk reinstalled it and deleted all the old files. Doesn't make a difference.

Will return it tomorrow... Really good game but not sitting with it here in the hopes that they will actually fix their *bleep* up some time in the next 10 years.