Iridium System News

Satellite communications provider Iridium Communications Inc. announced Tuesday that its Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) service officially went live on Friday, December 11, ending a monopoly held by rival Inmarsat and enhancing the integrity of global safety communications for seafarers globally.GMDSS is an internationally regulated service, governed by the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) convention. It provides life-saving assistance to seafarers in distress and has required equipment on board more than 60…

Radio Holland Group and Lars Thrane A/S concluded a global distribution agreement for the LT-3100 Iridium system. As a ‘kick-off’, mid-March Peter Thrane (CEO & Co-founder) and Thomas Flinth (Sales Manager) visited the Rotterdam office of Radio Holland Netherlands for a sales presentation, a commercial and a technical training. The global agreement enables every Radio Holland office in the world to distribute the LT-3100 Iridium system as well as perform after-sales service and maintenance. Peter Thrane said, “The distribution agreement with the Radio Holland Group is a major step forward for us. The global presence and professional approach to the market has given Radio Holland a strong name in the marine business. The LT-3100 is based on the Iridium satellite network.

Iridium terminals and Wi-Fi hotspots installed for tall ship pair taking part in unique round the world voyage and Baltic summer racing. Globecomm Maritime is supporting British charity, the Jubilee Sailing Trust, keeping its two tall ships STS Lord Nelson and STS Tenacious connected to friends and family during their ground-breaking itineraries. Lord Nelson and Tenacious are the only vessels in the world specially modified to be accessible for disabled and able bodied sailors alike, the company said.

Cambridge Consultants completes new trials on Iridium-based global push-to-talk radio system; Successful trials of new components of US Department of Defense Distributed Tactical Communications System. Cambridge Consultants, a technology design and development firm, today announced it successfully completed initial trials with Iridium Communications Inc. (Nasdaq: IRDM) of new key components of the world’s largest push-to-talk (PTT) radio system – the US Department of Defense (DoD) Distributed Tactical Communications System (DTCS). DTCS enables soldiers in isolated areas to communicate without the need for ground infrastructure – and in locations where they often can’t pick up a geostationary satellite’s signal unless they move to higher ground.

Xantic has announced that the basic version of AMOS Connect is now capable of working over the Iridium platform. A free of charge CD of this premium quality email service can be ordered from Xantic’s website or the software can be directly downloaded and installed. By optimally handling ship/shore satellite communication, AMOS Connect basic offers substantial cost savings of up to 85%, both Ship-to-Shore and Shore-to-Ship. It provides an ultra-efficient satellite communications protocol, including error correction, which is specifically designed for ship-to-shore communication. Use of the AMOS Connect basic version with Iridium shows data throughput rates on the Iridium network of up to 4.8 kbps.

Maritime communications is an estimated $1 billion industry, encompassing ship operators, merchant fleets, governments and private yacht owners. There is arguably no more quickly evolving technical sector in the maritime market than the satellite communications niche. Safety, operational efficiency and quality of life onboard vessels of all type and size today more than ever depends on clear, reliable and cost effective satellite communication services and products. The following reports on recent advances from major service, product and system suppliers. The year started with news that Connexion by Boeing, a business unit of The Boeing Company, would roll-out its high speed satellite broadband capability for the maritime industry.

The recently launched Ship Security Alert System (SSAS) by SAILOR using the Iridium System has now been approved by Det Norske Veritas (DNV), meeting all requirements for Ship Security Alert Systems as specified in the amendments to SOLAS, chapter XI, Annex 6 (Dec. 2002). The unique features of the SAILOR’s Iridium SSAS solution is the fact that the SAILOR SC4000 Iridium terminal at the same time can be used for standard Iridium features, such as voice and data communications, while still fulfilling all necessary SSAS requirements.

Iridium Satellite LLC announced that Australia's Telstra Corporation Limited has signed a service partner agreement to market and sell Iridium services. The multi-year deal enables Telstra to retail Iridium services and equipment to strengthen rural and remote communications throughout Australia. Both parties anticipate a new level of interest in Iridium services across the continent's rural and remote regions. Iridium Satellite's CEO, Gino Picasso, said high costs previously posed a major barrier to those entering the satellite services market. Eighty-six percent of the world's landmass and all of its oceans are in areas without wireless or landline service coverage. Iridium addresses the situation by providing coverage in all ocean areas, air routes, and landmasses, including the Poles.

Global wireless communications operator, Iridium Satellite LLC, has signed a service partner agreement with Australia's Telstra Corporation Ltd. to market and sell Iridium services. The multi-year deal enables Telstra to retail Iridium services and equipment to strengthen rural and remote communications throughout Australia. With competitive pricing and complete coverage of Australia, both parties anticipate a new level of interest in Iridium services across the continent's rural and remote regions. Iridium Satellite's CEO, Gino Picasso, said high costs previously posed a major barrier to those entering the satellite services market. Telstra will provide Iridium services on a non-exclusive basis in Australia.

A British sailor failed in a risky attempt to help a French solo rower who has been facing a communications breakdown in heavy south Pacific seas since the Iridium global mobile phone company went bankrupt. Ellen MacArthur, sailing in the region called the "screaming 50s," changed course to try to bring rower Jo Le Guen a replacement communication system, her sponsor Kingfisher Challenges said. MacArthur, 23, and her crew reached Le Guen's 29 ft. (9 m) craft Keep It Blue in harsh weather conditions with just over two hours of daylight left. Icy squalls with winds reaching 30 knots and turbulent seas made transferring a bag containing a portable Magellan e-mail unit extremely hazardous, the sponsor said.

Maritime communications equipment maker EuroCom Industries (ECI) downgraded its 1999 sales and earnings forecast last week, citing slow demand for a key product after U.S. global satellite telephone firm Iridium filed for bankruptcy protection. Issuing its second profit warning within as many months, Danish-based ECI cut its full-year turnover estimate to 580-600 million crowns ($83-85.5 million) from 630-650 million crowns. It now saw break-even on the bottom line, down from a 20-25 million crown profit forecast. By comparison, in January-June, ECI's pre-tax profit more than doubled to 47.7 million crowns. The major problem is that…

Iridium Satellite LLC, which bought the assets of bankrupt Iridium LLC in December 2000, announced the successful deployment of five new spare satellites. This launch marks a significant milestone in the resurrection of the Iridium service and brand. Less than a year after launching commercial service and nearly two years since the original company closed its doors and planned to destroy the satellite constellation, Iridium Satellite has taken a significant step to extending the life of its global satellite communications network into 2010 and beyond. Launched by The Boeing Company on a Delta II launch vehicle from Vandenberg Air Force Base on Feb.