Iridium Communications has announced its expansion as COMSAT, Gilat Telecom, Globecomm, MetOcean Telematics, NSSLGlobal, Trace Systems and Wireless Innovation, have officially been added as Iridium Certus service providers for land-mobile applications.
Ideal for organisations in need of ‘on-the-move’ connectivity solutions, Iridium Certus will bring its services enabling the globally connected vehicles when used with the Thales MissionLINK terminal.
Each of these new Iridium Certus service providers will play a crucial role in distributing the next-generation service to their unique customer networks. The addition of these seven companies brings the total number of service providers for land-mobile applications to twenty.
The Iridium Certus service includes features like high-quality voice calling and low latency IP data with speeds debuting at 352 Kbps, and upgradable to 704 Kbps download speeds with a future firmware release. This will provide a reliable L-band satellite broadband connectivity on the market. Land-mobile users will gain access to a connected environment whether at a remote work site or on-the-move with connected vehicles.
Due to the architecture of the Iridium satellite constellation, with 66 crosslinked, low-earth-orbit satellites, users will experience consistent data speeds everywhere on the planet, unlike geostationary networks that experience degraded performance at higher latitudes or may be blocked entirely by mountains or other obstructions.
Dynamic service access will allow multiple users to place phone calls via smartphone or wired line while simultaneously using the satellite data connection to send and receive email messages and access online information. In addition, the solution will enable creation of a ‘radio gateway’, providing connectivity through the Thales MissionLINK terminal that will allow Land Mobile Radio (LMR) users to integrate SATCOM with their dispatch centres, or link field LMR teams together allowing them to communicate over the Iridium satellite network. This can expand the reach of LMR systems beyond line of site and enable SATCOM to LMR communication, globally.
Speaking about the partnership, Josh Miner, Vice President, Land-Mobile Business of Iridium said: “Each service provider is invaluable to the success of Iridium Certus. Having an expansive distribution network is at the core of our business strategy and helps us directly address the need for reliable connectivity anywhere on the planet. We recognise that businesses are expanding operations to the most remote and rugged locations on earth, and with Iridium Certus, there will be greater speed capability with the same resilience and dependability the Iridium network is known for.
“Not only will the service work across the globe, but the hardware is small and able to withstand harsh conditions, making it a very competitive option for today’s ever-expanding market.”
Enabled by Iridium NEXT, the Company’s next-generation, $3bn satellite constellation, Iridium Certus will provide higher quality voice capabilities, alongside enterprise-grade broadband functionality, for the entire planet, whether on land, in the air or at sea. To date, there have been six Iridium NEXT launches, deploying 55 new satellites. Two additional launches are planned for 2018 to complete the constellation of 75 new satellites, of which 66 will be in the active constellation, with nine on-orbit spares. The seventh launch is currently targeted by SpaceX for July 20, 2018 out of Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.
Add Comment