MCLEAN, Va., April 16, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Iridium
Communications Inc. (NASDAQ: IRDM) announced today the signing of
their Public Services Agreement (PSA) with the International Mobile
Satellite Organization (IMSO), which details the conditions for
IMSO to act as regulator and maintain oversight of Iridium's Global
Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) services.
The signing of this agreement is a key step towards IMSO issuing
Iridium a Letter of Compliance, stating that the company is ready
to begin providing its GMDSS service.
The GMDSS is a safety-of-life system created by the
International Maritime Organization (IMO) designed to rescue
mariners in distress while at sea. It is comprised of satellite
communications systems feeding distress information into a network
of rescue coordination centers around the world that orchestrate
related search and rescue efforts.
In May of 2018, the IMO adopted a "Statement of Recognition,"
stating that the Iridium® network met the requirements
needed to provide GMDSS service. For decades, only one
company was allowed to provide satellite GMDSS service, limiting
coverage reach, capability and choice. With Iridium, mariners
will for the first time in history have a choice in equipment and
service provider while also now reaching 100 percent of the world's
oceans, helping protect mariners no matter where they sail.
"Iridium is on target to complete development of its GMDSS
system before the end of 2019, and our first terminal, in
development by Lars Thrane, can be
installed by any vessel as soon as it's type approved," said
Bryan Hartin, executive vice
president, Iridium. "However, SOLAS Convention (Safety of Life At
Sea) class vessels will need to wait until 2020 for that Iridium
terminal to meet its mandated GMDSS carriage requirement, which is
when the needed amendments made to the SOLAS Convention take
effect. All non-SOLAS class vessels can begin using the
service as soon as it is available, and anyone will be able to
begin use of the new terminal for general communications
needs."
Hartin, continued, "We're proud of our work, in close
collaboration with IMSO, to add Iridium to this critically
important service and appreciate all the hard work and guidance
provided by IMSO to help make sure we will be officially ready to
go." Iridium's progress towards implementing all required steps to
provide GMDSS service will be reported to the IMO during the
Maritime Safety Committee's meeting in London this coming June. The first terminal
planned for certification, the Lars Thrane LT-3100S, is also on
schedule to be type-approved in 2019. Several additional
Iridium GMDSS terminals are planned to be available in the
future.
For more information about Iridium, 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 recently completed its
next-generation satellite network and launched its new specialty
broadband service, Iridium CertusSM. 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 press release include statements regarding the
timing of introduction, capabilities and benefits of new products
and services enabled by the Iridium constellation, including GMDSS
service. 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 the development and functionality of Iridium 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, 2018, filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on February 28, 2019, 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:
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Investor
Contact:
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Jordan
Hassin
|
Kenneth
Levy
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Iridium
Communications Inc.
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Iridium
Communications Inc.
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Jordan.Hassin@Iridium.com
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Ken.Levy@Iridium.com
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+1 (703)
287-7421
|
+1 (703)
287-7570
|
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Twitter:
@Iridiumcomm
|
Twitter:
@IridiumIR
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|
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SOURCE Iridium Communications Inc.