Iridium Satellite LLC (Iridium) is joining with mobile satellite industry companies and the emergency response community to form the ProTECTS (Promotion of Two-way Emergency Communication and Tracking Systems) Alliance. The primary goal of the alliance is to foster the rapid and orderly adoption of portable, two-way satellite-based location, tracking and messaging technologies.

The alliance will provide a forum for addressing issues affecting the suppliers and users of these vital safety devices. It also will seek to foster the development and deployment of bi-directional satellite data solutions meeting the requirements of the growing population of government and business organizations using portable tracking devices, as well as the public-safety community. To help further the goals of the ProTECTS Alliance, Iridium also is launching a strategic initiative to focus its internal engineering, R&D, product certification, activations, marketing and channel sales support resources to assist Service Partners (SP) in bringing these personal safety products and services to market.

While Iridium is the founding member of the ProTECTS Alliance, membership is open to mobile satellite service (MSS) providers, software developers, manufacturers, system integrators, resellers, distributors, industry experts, SAR authorities, first responders, trade associations, regulatory bodies and user groups. Charter members of the Alliance are: Active Web Solutions (AWS); Argon ST; Backcountry Access, Inc.; Blackbird Technologies, Inc.; Blue Sky Network, LLC; Cobham ACR Products; DMC Worldwide Corporation LLC; EMS Global Tracking; IonEarth; KANNAD; L-3 Communications; McMurdo; NAL Research Corporation; Paradigm Secure Communications Ltd; Premier GPS Inc.; Roadpost Inc.; Solara Remote Data Delivery Inc.; Spidertracks Ltd; TracPlus Global Limited; and Travel Safety Group LTD.