Greg Ewert News

Iridium Communications Inc. (Nasdaq:IRDM) announces that German shipping company Reederei Werner Bockstiegel has selected Iridium Pilot(TM) to upgrade its shipping fleet with broadband communications. Globecomm Maritime, a long-standing Iridium partner, is offering Iridium Pilot as part of an upgraded "Telaurus se@COMM" communications package, and will manage the installation fleet-wide. "We're seeing a rapidly growing appetite among maritime customers to migrate from out-dated narrowband services to satellite broadband communications solutions," said Greg Ewert, executive vice president of global distribution channels at Iridium. "We are proud to expand our service to Reederei Werner Bockstiegel through our innovative partner Globecomm Maritime.

Beam’s new PotsDOCK Extreme Covert Piracy Solution utilizes the Iridium Extreme satellite handset and the Beam Covert Antenna system to provide a dedicated system for a safe room or citadel on board a vessel. The system ensures that essential communications on board the vessel, such as the ability to alert authorities in the event of a piracy attack, can be maintained even if all power or communication equipment has been cut off or destroyed by pirates. The system couples the Iridium Extreme handset and the Beam Extreme PotsDOCK to provide the captain and crew with access to voice communications, tracking and alert functionality from the system. In the event of an attack, an alert can be raised and the vessel can be tracked immediately.

Iridium Communications Inc. is providing vital satellite broadband communications connectivity for sailors competing in the prestigious international sailboat races of the IMOCA Championship. The Europa 'Warm Up' Race kicked off May 19 and runs through June 9, 2012. Twenty sailboats will be equipped with Iridium Pilot™ terminals, the new Iridium maritime broadband platform, as part of the telecommunications package provided by Geolink, a long-time Iridium partner and innovative race communications supplier. Relying on the world's only truly global satellite network, skippers and crews can access real-time weather reports, sailing conditions…

Iridium Communications Inc. (Nasdaq:IRDM) is providing vital satellite broadband communications connectivity for sailors competing in the prestigious international Sailboat Races of the IMOCA Championship. The Europa Warm'Up Race kicked off May 19 and runs through June 9, 2012. Twenty sailboats will be equipped with Iridium Pilot(TM) terminals, the new Iridium maritime broadband platform, as part of the telecommunications package provided by Geolink, a long-time Iridium partner and innovative race communications supplier. Relying on the world's only truly global satellite network, skippers and crews can access real-time weather reports…

Beam Granted World’s First Approval for Iridium Extreme Docking Station. Beam Communications Pty Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of World Reach Limited (ASX: WRR), announces it has received certification by Iridium Communications Inc. (Nasdaq: IRDM) for use of Beam’s LiteDOCK docking station for the Iridium Extreme® satellite phone. Beam is the first manufacturer in the world to receive Iridium’s official certification of a docking unit for the Iridium Extreme handset. Iridium is the operator of the world’s furthest reaching communications network.

Melbourne, Australia - Beam Communications Pty Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of World Reach Limited, announced that it has received certification by Iridium Communications Inc. for use of Beam’s LiteDOCK docking station for the Iridium Extreme® satellite phone. Iridium is the operator of the world’s furthest reaching communications network. With the release of Iridium Extreme, Beam Communications has developed a range of next-generation docks to complement the phone’s functionality and features.

Powered by the Iridium OpenPort Service, Iridium Pilot Broadband Platform Offers Reliable, High-Quality Communications Via the World's Furthest-Reaching Network. Global Satellite USA, a satellite solutions provider, has announced the launch of the Iridium Pilot, Iridium’s second-generation maritime broadband platform. Iridium Pilot will utilize the Iridium OpenPort service – the world's first when it comes to fully global maritime broadband. Martin Fierstone, President of Global Satellite USA, commented, “Iridium is improving the customer experience on a global basis.

Iridium Communications Inc. (Nasdaq: IRDM) and KVH Industries, Inc., (Nasdaq: KVHI) have agreed to offer what the pair is touting as the first-ever, fully global, seamless broadband satellite communications service for the maritime market. Under the agreement, KVH will offer an integrated service package that combines its mini-VSAT BroadbandSM service and the Iridium OpenPort broadband service. “We are enthusiastic that KVH is our first distribution partner to launch Iridium’s new VSAT companion service offering,” said Greg Ewert, executive vice president, global distribution channels, Iridium. “We have optimized the Iridium OpenPort system to seamlessly integrate with a vessel’s VSAT platform.

The FV Aart Maaskant (UK95) is was one of the first Dutch commercial fishing vessels to be fitted with Iridium OpenPort. Gannexion BV, an Iridium service partner, installed the Iridium high-bandwidth terminal to replace the existing satcom system on the 139 ft beam trawler, which operates in the North Sea. Jan de Boer, the vessel’s owner and captain, said, “Iridium OpenPort is always online. The crew is using the free e-mail service offered by Gannexion BV to send and receive messages at sea. The e-mail software also permits them to access Websites to download information on an adjustable schedule. “The captain sets the Iridium OpenPort terminal to automatically receive the weather forecast twice a day,” said Patrick Albers, service engineer, Gannexion BV.

Collecte Localisation Satellites (CLS) and Iridium Communications Inc. (NASDAQ: IRDM) announced that the U.S. Coast Guard has type-approved the CLS Thorium terminal for Long-Range Identification and Tracking (LRIT). The type approval clears the way for CLS America, a subsidiary of CLS, to equip ships sailing under the U.S. flag to comply with the international LRIT carriage requirements. Pole Star, the U.S. LRIT Application Service Provider (ASP), conducted the conformance tests on behalf of the U.S. Coast Guard to ensure the Thorium product meets the international performance standards for LRIT. “Iridium’s global service coverage includes all ocean areas, including the north and south Polar Regions,” said Greg Ewert, executive vice president, global distribution channels, Iridium.

Faria WatchDog, Inc. announced that its WatchDog 750 long-range identification and tracking (LRIT) ship terminal has successfully completed the compliance and test requirements for operation on the Iridium satellite network. Faria WatchDog, Inc. is a supplier of satellite vessel monitoring systems (VMS). Iridium LRIT certification ensures its Value-Added Manufacturers’ (VAMs’) devices comply with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Resolution MSC.210(81) requirements, which establish performance standards for LRIT shipboard systems. With the Iridium certification, the WatchDog 750 is ready to provide a reliable LRIT solution to the maritime industry.

Iridium Satellite announced the commercial rollout of its new satellite fax solution, which will permit users to send and receive documents over the Iridium network from a standard Group 3 fax machine. Iridium’s new fax adapter automatically stores and buffers fax messages before sending, ensuring reliable transmission through the Iridium gateway. The unit’s self-repairing feature eliminates the need to resend faxes and manually monitor transmissions. The fax device provides more than one MB of memory for buffering large faxes and operates at high resolution to ensure that character-based scripts are accurately transmitted. The fax service is primarily aimed at the maritime and aeronautical markets, according to Greg Ewert, executive vice president of Iridium Satellite.

Iridium Satellite announced an expansion of its global network of value-added developers (VADs) program with the appointment of three new companies in key market sectors. The three companies are AirSatCom of Toulouse, France; MailASail of London; and Remote Equipment Monitoring and Assessment Services (REMAS) of Englewood, Colo. “By partnering with these global communications companies, Iridium is able to continue bringing innovative, new solutions based on emerging technologies to a broad base of customers all over the world,” said Greg Ewert, executive vice president of Iridium Satellite. AirSatCom provides customized satellite communications solutions and accessories for a variety of communication and fleet tracking applications for both the civilian and military sectors.