Satellite Communication Iridium Satellite PART VII

The first Iridium launch failed in the year 2000. The new Iridium provides communication services to the Defense Department of the United States and was commercially made available in the month of March 2001. Iridium launched its internet services in the month of June 2001, with only 10Kb/sec, with data rate at 2.4Kb/sec soon afterwards. Iridium is ideally suited for industrial applications, such as, heavy construction, defense/military, emergency services, maritime, mining, forestry, oil and gas and aviation.

Iridium helps communication in the remote areas of this world, where communication infrastructure is completely absent. With 86% of the Earth and all the oceans without such communication facilities, Iridium provides coverage to those areas, including the air routes and the Poles. Many people live and work in those areas where cellular coverage and landline services are not present. Satellite communication has made a difference providing immediate help to those people when needed.

Iridium was initially a project headed by Motorola in the late 1990?s, and they developed the project which invited investments globally. The project failed in its very inception, since the Motorola management did not know how to evaluate the system in the market and its demand, related to its price. At this stage the cost of the system came to about $5.0 million and Motorola could attract no more than 50,000 subscribers. The system went into bankruptcy and was almost being scrapped, when a consortium of private investors pulled it out from the bankruptcy court in 2001. The system which exists today has become very cost effective, with its handsets and effective services, offering the most competitive prices in satellite communication.

The Iridium constellation is frequently visible in the night sky with brief flashes, which are known as Iridium flares. These flashes are usually from the shiny part of the satellite, such as, the polished three door-like antenna or the solar panels, which reflect sunlight directly on to the Earth below, appearing as brief flashes or bright "flare". The flares are, at times, so bright that it can be seen in day time also, but they are very impressive at night. The Iridium system is a set of 66 low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites at an elevation of 485 miles above the Earth.

History

On November 1, 1998, Iridium service was launched and consequently went into bankruptcy on August 11, 1999. The first call using this service was made by the then Vice President of the United States, Mr. Al Gore. Insufficient demand for the service was largely responsible for its financial failure. With increased coverage of terrestrial and cellular telephony (GSM), and the rise in the roaming service agreements between the service providers, proved to be the failure of Motorola's satellite project. The prohibitive cost of the service did not bring many subscribers, despite Iridium's continuous worldwide coverage. Additionally, the high price and the bulk of the hand held system, when compared to a mobile handset, discouraged users to take up Iridium service.

There were major management lapses too in Iridium's initial failure. It is said that sales enquiries were not followed up in the sense that it should have been and help-line activities were practically absent. This failure discouraged other satellite constellation projects, including Teledesic, while other such projects, such as, Orbcomm, ICO Global Communications, and Globalstar followed Iridium into bankruptcy protection. There were other such projects which never took off. The Iridium constellation remained in orbit, and the services were re-established in 2001 by the newly founded Iridium Satettlite LLC., who bought the Iridium system for $25 million.

The Iridium System

The Iridium system is a constellation of 66 satellites in low earth orbit (LEO) satellites, providing wireless personal communication, with voice features, covering virtually any destination on Earth. The system comprises of three main components: the satellite network, the ground network and the Iridium subscriber products, including phones and small handheld pagers. The pagers are only capable of receiving messages. The Iridium network enables voice and data to be routed to virtually any place on Earth, including the oceans, seas and air routes. The constellation of the Iridium relays this voice data information from one to the other and reaches them to the desired destination.

The constellation of Iridium is in polar orbit, situated at an altitude of 485 miles above the earth, circling the Earth once every 100 minutes at a speed of 16,832 miles per hour. Each satellite is cross-linked to four others, with two in the same orbital plane and the other two in the adjacent plane. The constellation comprises of 7 planes with 11 satellites in each plane. The combination travels in one direction and rotates in a group over the North Pole and after crossing over the pole it travels down towards the South Pole. The satellites move in phases in all the planes except the ones in planes 3, 5 and 7, where the satellites are halfway out of phase. A minimum tolerance of distance is maintained in the flights of all the satellites so that they do not collide while travelling over the poles.

The ground network is comprised of the control system and telephony gateways which are used for connecting the incoming links to the terrestrial telephone system. The system control segment manages the global operational support and control services for the satellite constellation. The satellite data tracking is done by this system control segment, which delivers the information to the gateways and performs the termination control function of messaging services. Gateways form the interconnection between the Iridium system and the terrestrial telephony, are a part of the terrestrial infrastructure that provides telephony services, messaging, and support to the network operations.

The Iridium system started to provide commercial global satellite communications services as from 28th March, 1991. It came out with enhanced voice quality feature and simplified pricing plans. Iridium extended its service to data services soon after its launch. The system is designed to provide a wide range of services to varied users, including ?

* Voice calling
* Short Messaging Service (SMS)
* Roaming
* Positioning
* Facsimile
* Data transmission

Iridium provides its service to cellular phone users, who work outside the cellular coverage areas, to the people who live in such areas where the basic infrastructure of telephony does not exist, to the existing air routes and to the ships in the seas and oceans. The access of Iridium satellites is based upon line-of-site principle and the handset cannot be used in covered areas, like, inside a building, while the pagers are quite effective and, as a better means to receive messages, it can be used inside the buildings. This feature enables the user to leave a message if he is unable to get in touch with the person concerned from his handset.

Iridium allows connectivity virtually anywhere in the world and offers World telephony, World Paging and World Data Services. The ground switches of Iridium connects the satellite to the terrestrial public switched network which allows an Iridium phone to communicate to any cellular system anywhere in the world. The subscriber to the Iridium system has one phone number to make and receive calls, no matter where he is in the world.

The United States Government's Department 0f Defense uses the Iridium system extensively for its communication purposes and utilises the DoD gateway at Hawaii. The commercial Gateway in Tempe, Arizona, provides commercial services for the public for voice, data and paging services. The services are on a global basis. Typical customers who are using the Iridium services include, maritime, aviation, government, the petroleum industry, scientists, and frequent world travelers. The company, Iridium Satellite LLC, claimed that, as of 8th November, 2004, there were already approximately 169,000 subscribers to the Iridium system. The revenue went up by 55% by the calendar year 2004 from that of 2003. New satellites have been planned to be launched by the year 2010 and these satellites are ready.

It costs $3 to $14 per minute to call an Iridium phone from a landline and about $1.50 per minute to call from Iridium phone to a landline. As for an Iridium phone to another, the cost is $1.00 per minute. Calls from Iridium phones can be easily recognised by the particular clipping effect which is introduced by the effect of data compression and the inherent delay in such satellite telephony. LOO satellites have lower transmission delay than the geostationary ones. For ?direct internet" services, Iridium claims to have a data rate of 10Kb/second and it is possible to connect an Iridium phone to the PC through a RS-232 cable.

Iridium offers world class products and services, whether be it a satellite based mobile telephone or a fixed phone for remote on-site communication. It provides high quality voice, roaming and Short Messaging Service (SMS) and asynchronous dial-up fax and data services up to 9,600 bps. The Iridium phones, which are slightly larger than the cellular phones, are manufactured by world renowned companies, such as, Ericsson, Qualcomm and Telit. All of these phones work on multiple modes, being compatible with terrestrial AMPS, CDMA, or GSM networks, as well as their own Iridium satellite network.

Why rent a satellite phone? Handheld models work anywhere on the planet (you have to be outside). No activation fees! Free incoming calls from every country on earth. Satellite rental phone service rates have been too expensive for the vast majority of potential travelers?until now. With a satellite phone there is complete and total coverage anywhere in the world as long as you have a clear line of reception to the sky. Outgoing calls cost less than two dollars per minute and you can receive unlimited FREE incoming calls from anywhere in the world! Whether you are traveling on a cruise, climbing a mountain, backpacking through South America or visiting one of the many areas where there is unreliable or zero cellular or landl The Iridium hand held mobile satellite phone is available for rent, on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. Using your satellite phone is as simple as using a cellular phone and all satellite phones include a variety of lightweight accessories for easy charging and easy set-up. http://www.planetomni.com/ or call 800-815-9380 - from outside the USA: 1-925-686-9945

The Significance of Cheap Emergency Cell Phone Calling Cards

Almost everyday, life throws something new at us. Some problems are not that hard to deal with. But, once the unexpected happens, it would be much better to be in a position to deal with it properly. Communication is an issue that always comes up when the unexpected occurs. For example, it is helpful to be able to contact some family member or friend when, lets say, one is stuck in a precarious situation. There are usually two communication options available for emergency issues: The first being mobile phones and the second being universal prepaid phone calling services or emergency cell phone calling cards.

Nowadays many people carry cellular phones to be able to be reached by their employers and families. However, for most people, cell phones are not the best options out there. First of all, many cell phone service providers charge high fees for their reputation and brand equity. In addition, these cell phone providers lock their customers into long term plans to keep the cash flow coming in for longer periods. That is not all. Many of these companies do not offer low rates on international or even local long distance calls. Obviously, this would not be an issue to a millionaire. But to most people, these high rates are not affordable. Besides, the plans offered by cell phone providers could be deceiving. Many mobile service providers offer 5000 minutes for around 40 dollars a month. However, consumers who do not use that many minutes per months are left with no other viable choice. After all, the next plan in line offers so few minutes that it is barely useful to anybody.

Universal emergency cell phone calling card services, on the other hand, offer convenience, quality, and huge savings to their holders. Services that can be purchased on line, such as Pingo, differ from the typical country specific type of prepaid calling cards that are sold at convenience stores. These universal prepaid service providers understand that prepaid calling cards customers are price sensitive. Therefore, these cards offer very low rates to keep the customers satisfied. Besides, these cards do not come with any call requirements. Consequently, consumers are free to talk as much as they want per month. The quality of service offered by some of these cards is as high, if not higher, as that of cellular phones. Rates to call Internationally with these calls are about the lowest you can find. In addition, since these cards do not require long-term commitments, they are the best choice for most people.

In emergency situations, people want to have the ability to contact their loved ones. Cheap emergency cell phone calling card services allow their holders to do just that.

Brian Hawkins is an affiliate marketing manager for Pingos prepaid cell phone affiliate program that also provides emergency student phone cards online at http://www.pingo.com/studentphonecard.do

In Case of Emergency - Your Cell Phone Could Save Your Life

There is a new acronym running around and it is ICE.

No, not that frozen water you put in your favorite beverage. ICE stands for "In Case of Emergency".

What if....
You are in a car accident rendered unconscious?
You're at the mall or work and become incapacitated?
You are on a business trip and something happens?

What happens normally (we hope), the police are summoned or fire department, an ambulance comes and takes you to the hospital.

How is the staff to know your medical history?

Are you allergic to any drugs?
Do you have a history of heart disease?
Do you have a living will that the medical staff needs to know about?
Do you have a DNR (Do Not Resuscitate order)?
Does you're young child know whom to call?

What if you're Cell Phone, yes that little sometimes annoying thing that in a pinch could save your life, yes, save your life?

The idea is that you store the word "ICE" in your mobile phone address book, and enter the number of the person you would want contacted "In Case of Emergency".

In an emergency situation, ambulance, police and hospital staff will then be able to quickly find out who your next of kin is, your emergency contact, and be able to call them quickly and get the information they may need to keep you alive.

You could have multiple ICE numbers in your cell phone so if one does not answer emergency personnel have another contact, for instance, ICE, ICE1, ICE2 and so on.

One could be your spouse, your best friend, and your parents, whom ever know enough about you to be of assistance to YOU.

It's as simple as that, take the time to go and program ICE in your cell phone today, those 3 letters in your cell phone just may save your life one day!

To your Safety,

Michael McBee

Michael is an online entrepreneur with over 20 years of offline and online sales and marketing experience. His background covers a wide spectrum including Security, Insurance, and Information Technology. He now owns a web site promoting self-defense and home protection products. For more information please visit: Stun Guns - Non Lethal Defense

Iridium Satellite Phones - The Amazing Worldwide Service

Iridium satellite phones are made by the Iridium corporation, and can give the claim of being the only satellite phone provider that is truly global in its coverage area. This even includes oceans, airways, and polar regions. These phones are capable of delivering communications to and from the most remote areas in the world where absolutely no other form of communication is available. This has made them the leader in their field, and the top choice for many companies involved in exploratory rolls.

Iridium satellite phones pick up communication through what is called "The Iridium constellation." This is a series of an amazing 66 low orbiting satellites that link, and cross-link, with one another through various orbital designs that guarantee coverage to every part of the Earth no matter what time of day or night. This is the largest non government satellite system in the world, and this makes these satellite phones ideal for various industries such as maritime, aviation, oil exploration, geology surveying, military, emergency, mining, forestry, heavy equipment, transportation, and rescue. This system is so dependable that it is used by the United States Department of Defense. This is because they have proven their reliability in even the worst and most barren of conditions.

Iridium satellite phones allow worldwide voice and data communications using handheld devices. The system is amazing, as someone from the North Pole could call someone lost in the middle of an Australian outback. The coverage literally includes the entire world, though there are some areas where the system is not allowed to be used, usually in nations that the United States has an embargo on (such as North Korea and Sudan). Many of the satellites seen in the night sky that give short bright flashes belong to the Irdidium system.

The first call made on an Iridium satellite phone was made by then Vice President Al Gore. While this system is used by many corporations, the sheer cost of the satellites makes the Department of Defense contract almost mandatory to ensure the continued success of the system. At least this was true, initially. The idea of complete communication has been jumped upon by many companies, and so the number of users has increased dramatically over the past few years, making the company a very profitable and viable enterprise.

Amazing advancements in technology have made possible what even in most of our lifetimes was once thought of as science fiction. Now a company can make a call from any place at any time, with no towers or other systems in sight. This has also made the jobs of individuals who have to work in isolated areas much safer, as emergency calls can be made, as well as updates given to employers by those on the field. Once a science fiction hope, now Iridium satellite phones make communications possible literally anywhere in the world.

For more satellite uses please visit http://www.satelliteinnovation.com a popular satellite website that provides tips, advice and satellite resources. Try visiting our latest information page on Iridium Satellite Phone

Global Star Satellite Phones - What Are They

Global Star Satellite phones are an essential communication tool for many businesses, as well as individual professionals. While most well developed areas are covered by mobile network antennas providing maximum coverage there are remote parts of the world where a normal mobile phone is completely unusable. This doesn't even mean a third world country, some areas, such as Alaska, are just so isolated that a normal mobile phone won't cut it and a satellite phone can help out professionals and companies in those sorts of areas.

These remote areas may be secluded forests where forestry workers have to operate or professionals in the mining, excavation, and structural engineering fields who have to work in locations many miles from the nearest telephone line. It is essential that these people have some form of communication, yet the conventional solutions just won't due. That's where the satellite phones can be used to keep up that critical communication.

There are other people who need to use a satellite phone like this because they work in dangerous environments. The military, security services, media, are all examples of individuals who may rely on this phone as their only source of communication with the outside world. For professionals in potentially dangerous or even life threatening situations, these phones aren't some fancy luxury, they are an absolute necessity.

These phones work using the same technology as regular cell phones, just that instead of using a nearby tower the boosts signals, they can locate satellites that are designed to go around the earth in a low enough orbit to receive and send signals. Basically when the signal is picked up, it is then forwarded to a regular telephone network and the connection is made so that even from the most remote of locations, a call can be made and received. Modern technology even makes it so that the signal from a satellite phone is clear and the call is connected in a mere seconds. This is amazing when you consider the distance that the signal has to travel.

The phones have coverage in over 120 countries in most parts of the world. This suits the far majority of needs for most corporations and professionals, but like with any type of service, you need to make sure that coverage takes place where you will be working, especially when an isolated area adds danger to any given project. These phones are among the most dependable and the most used, but like any satellite phone, they are expensive. Costs are often several dollars a minute, but for any project out in the wild, they are an absolute necessity that can not be overlooked, and Global Star Satellite phones are among the most popular and most proven of their kind.

For more satellite uses visit http://www.satelliteinnovation.com a popular satellite website that provides tips, advice and satellite resources. Try visiting our latest information page on Global Star satellite phones

Iridium Satellite Phone Service Covers The Globe

Providing government, business and residential customers with the power of satellite driven communications, the Iridium satellite phone service is one of the industry leaders in using this technology. The company is noted as being the service provider for the United States Department of Defense, which happens to speak well for the advances that have been made in satellite communications technology over the past few decades.

Rather than rely on giant dishes and impossible to use devices, companies like Iridium satellite phone service have managed to shrink the technology to more usable forms. The satellite phones in use today tend to operate and look more like regular land lines or even cell phones, but the power that backs them is much greater.

The Iridium satellite phone company, for example, operates using about 66 low-earth orbiting satellites. These devices are cross-linked to provide as seamless of coverage as possible for customers that are quite broad ranging. Thanks to its massive satellite installation, Iridium is considered the owner of the biggest satellite constellation in the entire world. The company tends to cater to business and government clients, but its applications are also favored by many residential customers who live in out of the way places.

As the Iridium system becomes more sound and reliable, more businesses and even residential customers are turning to this company to provide their voice and data transfer solutions. Industries that benefit from satellite phone service, include:

Defense: When telephone lines go down, satellites don't. This is the reason why government agencies such as the Department of Defense rely on companies like Iridium. It's not a good idea for the defense department to lose contact with its key employees. Satellites help make sure this doesn't happen.

Shipping: Many maritime companies rely on satellite phones for their coverage areas and convenience. Not relying on cell towers to power them, these phones are ideal for shipping companies that have vessels traveling in and out of remote regions.

Aviation: There aren't landlines on airplanes, but there are satellite phones. These devices work above and beyond regular radio frequencies to keep passengers and pilots in touch with the ground. Whether it's commercial aviation or government related, satellite phones are fast becoming the communication tool of choice.

Transportation: We've all heard the horror stories about going through the mountains and losing cell phone service. Transportation companies that rely on satellite phone services, such as Iridium, do so to prevent this eventuality. When staying in constant touch is important, companies such as the Iridium satellite phone service are a good way to go.

Emergency services: Agencies that provide emergency and humanitarian services in remote locations are turning to satellite phone service to ensure their worker have constant contact with each other and their home offices. Since satellite phones can offer virtual worldwide coverage, they provide a sound solution where the might be nothing else.

As technology marches forward so too does the reliability and effectiveness of satellite technology. Powering communications for government and industry, the satellite phone services provided by companies like Iridium are become the way business gets done.

For more satellite uses please visit http://www.satelliteinnovation.com a popular satellite website that provides tips, advice and satellite resources. Try visiting our latest information page on the iridium satellite phone.

Global Star Satellite Phone Options Are Many

As satellite technology improves in leaps and bounds and more satellites are cleared for orbit, the options for use are becoming rather amazing. From televisions and radios to telephones and GPS devices, the applications everyday people can enjoy thanks to satellites are constantly on the rise. Global Star satellite phone service is one such way almost anyone can take advantage of the benefits of satellite communication.

Global Star satellite phone service is not like a regular cellular service. Rather than rely on cell towers and hobbled together system, satellite phone providers offer their customers the reliability of almost worldwide coverage. There's generally no limit to where signals can be received or sent from and the fact is the interruptions thanks to technological advances are rather minimal.

Global Star is one of the companies that's been on the cutting edge of satellite phone and data transfer service. Right now the company offers services in more than 120 different countries worldwide and can provide a few things that many regular cell phone companies cannot.

The benefits of services like the Global Star satellite phone service include:

No tower reliance: Cell phone towers tend to do down - a lot. And, cell phones tend to be tied to their use. When a tower isn't available or it's not functioning correctly, service isn't available either. That's not the case with satellite phone service. These phones tend to work well for remote locations and can work quite well where regular cell or landlines cannot go. This isn't to say there are dropped calls or interruptions in service from time to time, but the overall coverage is much greater.

Coverage: As a result of their satellite dependence, these phones are great for those who need wide coverage areas. Rather than being limited by a specific area, satellite phones tend to work and work well in locations all over the globe. This means people who live or work in the middle of nowhere can still stay in touch with friends, family or co-workers in "civilization." There doesn't need to be a cell tower within hundreds of miles for these phones to work well.

Choice: Global Star satellite phone service offers options for landlines, mobile and even data communications use. It's possible for people to replace their home phone, cell phone and even Internet connection devices and fax set ups to use these systems.

Pricing: Satellite phone services used to be rather pricey, but as they've gained in reliability and popularity, the packages tend to be much more affordable today. There are viable options for individuals who just want phone service for their homes in the middle of no where and even for businesses that want to keep in good contact with remote locations all around the globe.

Companies that provide satellite phone service are becoming more wide spread and popular. As these services become more and more reliable, the truth is it's likely this type of service will become the favorite for many. Global Star satellite phone service is just one provider in this fast-growing communication trend.

For more satellite uses please visit http://www.satelliteinnovation.com a popular satellite website that provides tips, advice and satellite resources. Try visiting our latest information page on the global star satellite phone.