Iridium GO Satellite WiFi Hotspot - one device to do it all?

[NW European]

I've been intrigued by this general space for awhile - the forthcoming era where global satellite coverage and affordable connection options will become ubiquitous. Not there yet, but between this new product, and the work Kymeta is doing, it seems like we will see it in the next few years.

Saw this yesterday, and surprised I do not see a thread on ExPo about it yet -- Yes, I know it is not available for purchase yet, but they are saying 2Q 2014, so only a few months out. Seems like a very interesting option due to the simple single device idea, and then you can connect up your phone, tablet, laptop, etc. Seems like the real question is -- how much will the monthly cost be, and how much data will you get....

http://www.iridium.com/products/Iridium-GO.aspx?productCategoryID=29

Overview

Iridium GO!™ is unlike anything the world has seen before. Powered by the world's furthest reaching network, this compact, rugged and portable unit creates the first ever reliable global connection for voice and data communications on up to 5 smartphones, laptops or tablets.

No matter where you are on the planet, Iridium GO! simplifies global communications for:
•Pilots, boaters and truckers
•Adventurers and explorers
•Remote residents and vacationers
•Emergency and first responders
•Global and business travellers
•Global enterprise
•Executives and diplomats
•Foreign missions
•Government and NGOs
•Military operations
•M2M applications
•Anyone out of cellular range

Performance

Simple

Simply flip up the integrated antenna and the battery-powered unit connects quickly and automatically to the Iridium LEO satellite constellation to create an anywhere Wi-Fi hotspot within approximately a 30.5-meter (100 foot) radius.

Versatile
Iridium GO! supports a full range of global communications, including:
•Voice calls
•Email access
•Applications
•Social networking
•Photo sharing
•SMS two-way
•GPS tracking
•SOS alert


Mobile

Iridium GO! is small enough to fit in your pocket and — like other Iridium devices — tough enough to withstand rain, sand, dust and rough use. It can easily be:
•Carried or stowed in your backpack, or
•Mounted in vehicles, aircraft and boats for mobile applications

Innovative

Combining the best that both satellite and cellular phones offer, Iridium GO! is the first in a whole new category of personal satellite connectivity devices. It is also a powerful development platform optimized for Iridium partners to build applications.

Affordable

Compatible with Apple® and Android™ operating systems and supported by affordable plans that keep voice and data costs reasonable, Iridium GO!:
•Leverages and extends your existing trusted devices,
•Allows connections to be shared among multiple users, and
•Eliminates roaming charges

Tech Specs

Dimensions:
•4.5"x 3.25" x 1.25"


Durability Specifications:
•Military-grade ruggedness (MIL-STD 810F)
•Ingress Protection (IP65)


Easy to Use:
•Stable, lay-flat design
•Flip up antenna
•Built-in menu/status display


Flexible
•Wi-Fi device ready
•App API for developers
•Robust accessory platform

 

[pugslyyy]

I'll be interested to see what their pricing scheme is like.

 

[craig333]

Looks great but I'll be surprised if it can come at a cost most of us would consider reasonable. Maybe renting one for a trip?

 

[tex222]

One should note that the iridium system is a very low bandwidth system, something like a 2400 baud modem if I remember correctly. They will state higher speeds depending on compression of the data. A bigger issue for me when I used iridium links was the high latency, but that was only because I was doing terminal sessions.

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk

 

[Crom]

One should note that the iridium system is a very low bandwidth system, something like a 2400 baud modem if I remember correctly. They will state higher speeds depending on compression of the data. A bigger issue for me when I used iridium links was the high latency, but that was only because I was doing terminal sessions.

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk

^This! The latency of the system is the achilles heel. This thing might work for sending emails and posting to the web, however beyond that any real time communications I think are going to be a stretch. I could be wrong, but I'm highly skeptical.

Irridium does not list any real technical specs for the device on their website. I guess we'll wait and see what happens.

 

[pfreeman]

I believe this is optimized for the Iridium NEXT gen satellites due to launch early 2015...I assume it will be capable of providing much better bandwidth at that point.

 

[overlander]

I'll bet it will be slow as suspected initially, but it is the beginning of something big. I see this as the Apple Newton of the next decade.

 

[Matt_OCENS]

tex222, you are correct. The Iridium GO! uses the same platform as the handheld phones, so your effective data speed on this device is still about 2.4 kbps. The advantage of this product is that it has a built in wireless access point, and the price point is lower than a handheld phone at $875. We have been providing wireless access points for Iridium and other satellite phones for a while, but this packages it all up nicely into a single device. As others have mentioned, there will be more cost effective data plans for this device, although the actual plans haven't been released by Iridium yet. The GO! should be available in Q2, but we are taking pre-orders now, which you can see here: http://www.ocens.com/Iridium-GO-P538.aspx.

In terms of data compression, this is something we have been doing for a long time, and our services were actually developed around the Iridium data speeds, however they benefit anyone using low bandwidth systems. OCENS Mail is our compressed email platform, XWeb is a compressed web traffic service, and WeatherNet is our compressed weather service. You can see information on all of these products here: http://www.ocens.com/Software-and-Services.aspx.

One new feature of our weather service is we are now delivering short-form 24, 48, and 72 hour weather reports directly to the DeLorme inReach SE, which is a completely new and unique service. Very soon, we will also be able to deliver reports directly to any GPS enabled communications device (i.e. Iridium 9575, Iridium GO!, IsatPhone Pro, smartphone, etc.). You can see more details on this service here: http://www.ocens.com/Product.aspx?ProductId=526&CategoryId=16.

Feel free to contact me with any questions about this.