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Satnews Daily
March 8th, 2012

Iridium... A Force To Be Reckoned With... (SATCOM)


[SatNews] Iridium Communications Inc. (Nasdaq:IRDM) has announced the commercial availability of the...

....Iridium® Core 9523 transceiver. The Iridium Core 9523 further emphasizes the company's Iridium Force(sm) vision of bringing vital building blocks to partners who develop innovative, portable communications devices. Twenty-six Iridium development partners, including FLYHT, SkyTrac Systems and Fastwave Communications, have been working with the Company to design Iridium Core 9523-based voice and data communications devices. The new technology is able to deliver connectivity everywhere through the smallest and lightest voice and data global transceiver ever available. Smaller than a credit card, this compact module is also "at the heart" of the new Iridium Extreme™, the most rugged satellite phone in the market.

The Iridium Core 9523 reduces the size and cost of building devices around the embedded global satellite communications technology enabled only through Iridium. This transceiver serves as a catalyst for partners to create innovative new products that enable global connectivity. Delivered as a populated printed circuit board (PCB), the Iridium Core 9523 allows for compact partner product design.

Joel Thompson, vice president, product management, Iridium, said, "Due to increased demand for global connectivity, advanced functionality and smaller devices, development partners increasingly come to Iridium seeking more compact and cost-effective solutions. Since cellular networks cover less than 10 percent of the planet, they know only Iridium provides the global reach their customers demand. We designed the Iridium Core 9523 not only to shrink the size of the Iridium Extreme transceiver, but also to enable smaller and lighter products from our partners."

In addition to size, Iridium Core 9523-based devices have many other advantages over alternate satellite technologies. These devices will offer truly global coverage, use smaller and lighter antennas, and provide greater functionality due to higher data throughput and lower data latency. The Iridium Core 9523 is 90 percent smaller than its predecessor transceiver. This smaller PCB form factor allows it to be more readily integrated into existing PCB designs, enabling designers to mount it right onto their product application boards to share components and power. Iridium Communications company information link.

With the Iridium Core 9523, FLYHT will be able to provide aircraft crew with reliable voice and data services through Iridium's global satellite network. The AFIRS 228S enables real-time data connectivity, both on the ground and in the air.

SkyTrac Systems, an Iridium development partner and supplier of satellite communications solutions for data, text and voice communications, has partnered with EuroAvionics GmbH & Co. to develop a flight following and SATCOM module using the Iridium Core 9523 that will be included within the EuroAvionics EuroNav 7 Situational Awareness System. SkyTrac is also developing a new "ISAT" system with the Iridium Core 9523. The ISAT-200A, an enhanced flight following and satellite communications system, provides multiple connections to various systems, an embedded accelerometer, and a hardened memory module for cockpit voice recording and aircraft data collection.