Iridium’s New, Truly Global Broadband Service - Iridium Certus(SM) – Goes Live for On-Orbit Satellite Testing
October 05 2017 - 9:01AM
Iridium Communications Inc. (NASDAQ:IRDM) today announced that it
has begun live testing of the Iridium Certus service on operational
Iridium NEXT satellites. Iridium Certus will be Iridium’s
new, truly global broadband service, offering safety and critical
L-band communications connectivity through the Iridium® NEXT
satellite constellation. Graduating from laboratory-based tests,
Iridium Certus on-orbit testing is a major milestone along the path
towards introducing commercial service, currently scheduled for
early second quarter, 2018.
Beginning on September 25, 2017, the testing and validation
process has involved uploading and activating software to the
Iridium NEXT satellites already in orbit to enable Iridium
Certus. As of October 4, 2017, several Iridium NEXT
satellites in operation were already undergoing live on-orbit
Iridium Certus testing. As each new additional Iridium NEXT
satellite comes on-line in the coming months, Iridium Certus
service will be activated through those satellites as well until
all 66 operational satellites in the Iridium NEXT constellation are
active, expected in 2018.
“Iridium Certus is going to fundamentally change the status quo
in satellite connectivity for aviation, maritime, land-mobile,
Internet of Things (IoT) and government users,” says Iridium CEO
Matt Desch. “Achieving this major milestone continues our momentum
for our mission to introduce world-changing broadband services and
applications designed to help our partners provide critical
connectivity solutions, both standalone and in support of other
broadband technologies.”
Iridium Certus terminals are being built by Cobham, L3
Communications, Rockwell Collins and Thales USA, all of which are
participants in the Iridium Global Value Added Manufacturer
program. It is expected that live on-orbit tests will be
conducted on the terminals as they are ready. Featuring small
form factor, cost-effective terminals and antennas, Iridium Certus
will ultimately offer the fastest L-band broadband solution
available, supported by the world’s only truly global
network. Once all service classes are fully deployed, Iridium
Certus will be capable of speeds up to 1.4 Mbps; however, it will
feature a variety of service speeds, cost points, and antenna
options. These include;
- IoT-focused Iridium Certus 20 (22 Kbps) through small, battery
powered and highly mobile devices capable of supporting
applications such as asset tracking, remote monitoring, telemetry,
the aircraft communications addressing and reporting system (ACARS)
and global maritime distress and safety system (GMDSS)
applications;
- Iridium Certus 100 (88 Kbps) in small form factors capable of
supporting applications such as email, graphical weather (WX),
photo transfer, internet/VPN and credit card validating;
- Iridium Certus 200 (176 Kbps) capable of supporting
applications such as electronic chart and display information
system (ECDIS) updates, aeronautical charts and streaming
audio;
- Iridium Certus 350 (352 Kbps) capable of supporting
applications such as flight data recorder streaming, VSAT
redundancy and low-resolution video;
- Iridium Certus 700 (704 Kbps) supporting applications such as
video conferencing, standard definition video, multi-user
internet/VPN and telemedicine; and
- Iridium Certus 1400 (1.4 Mbps) capable of supporting
applications such as high definition video, video conferencing,
multi-user internet/VPN, telemedicine and additional
applications.
Current on-orbit testing is focused on Iridium Certus 350, the
initial service class to be introduced, which will deliver internet
and voice services to compact terminals built specifically for
maritime, aviation, and terrestrial/vehicular applications.
These terminal products will be upgradable to Iridium Certus 700
with a firmware update once the service is available.
Iridium NEXT is the company’s next-generation satellite
constellation, replacing and enhancing its existing network of
inter-connected low-Earth orbit satellites spanning the entire
globe – the largest commercial satellite constellation in
space. The third launch for the Iridium NEXT constellation is
currently targeting October 9, 2017 at 5:37 a.m. PDT out of
Vandenberg Air Force Base, and will carry another 10 Iridium NEXT
satellites to low-earth orbit on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The
constellation’s unique architecture features interconnected
satellites that form a web of coverage around the earth, enabling
low-latency connectivity over the oceans, in the poles and other
remote areas.
For a complete overview of Iridium Certus speeds and
capabilities, please visit
www.iridium.com/company/industryleadership/iridiumcertusFor more
information about Iridium, please visit www.iridium.com
About Iridium Communications Inc.
Iridium is the only mobile voice and data satellite
communications network that spans the entire globe. Iridium enables
connections between people, organizations and assets to and from
anywhere, in real time. Together with its ecosystem of partner
companies, Iridium delivers an innovative and rich portfolio of
reliable solutions for markets that require truly global
communications. The company has a major development program
underway for its next-generation network — Iridium NEXT. Iridium
Communications Inc. is headquartered in McLean, Va., U.S.A., and
its common stock trades on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under
the ticker symbol IRDM. For more information about Iridium
products, services and partner solutions,
visit www.iridium.com.
Forward Looking Statements
Statements in this press release that are not purely historical
facts may constitute forward-looking statements as defined in the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The Company has
based these statements on its current expectations and the
information currently available to us. Forward-looking statements
in this presentation include statements regarding the deployment
and capabilities of the Iridium NEXT constellation and products and
services to be offered over the constellation, including Iridium
Certus. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the words
“anticipates,” “may,” “can,” “believes,” “expects,” “projects,”
“intends,” “likely,” “will,” “to be” and other expressions that are
predictions or indicate future events, trends or prospects. These
forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks,
uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results,
performance or achievements of Iridium to differ materially from
any future results, performance or achievements expressed or
implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and
uncertainties include, but are not limited to, uncertainties
regarding potential delays in the Iridium NEXT deployment, the
development and functionality of Iridium NEXT and related products
and services, and the company’s ability to maintain the health,
capacity and content of its satellite constellation, as well as
general industry and economic conditions, and competitive, legal,
governmental and technological factors. Other factors that could
cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by
the forward-looking statements include those factors listed under
the caption “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Form 10-K for the year
ended December 31, 2016, filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the “SEC”) on February 23, 2017, as well as other
filings Iridium makes with the SEC from time to time. There is no
assurance that Iridium’s expectations will be realized. If one or
more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or if Iridium's
underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary
materially from those expected, estimated or projected. Iridium's
forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press
release, and Iridium undertakes no obligation to update
forward-looking statements.
Press Contact:
Jordan
Hassin
Iridium Communications Inc.+1 (646)
872-0067Jordan.Hassin@iridium.com Twitter: @IridiumComm
Investor Contact:
Kenneth LevyIridium Communications Inc.+1 (703)
287-7570Ken.Levy@iridium.com Twitter: @IridiumIR
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