Satellite Communications:
Iridium - Voice and Email Anywhere

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Posted: 4/15/2004

Tips for purchasing or leasing Iridium phones. We have assembled a number of tips and recommendations from users and from our own experience. Please click here to review this document.

What is Iridium? Iridium services include worldwide voice, paging, Short Message Service (SMS) and data communications using lightweight, handheld phones and paging devices. Iridium is a global communications system that uses a constellation of 66 satellites in a near polar Low Earth Orbit (LEO) with cross-link architecture. Iridium features Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards containing all user identification and account information, allowing customized options, shared use, and individual billing.

For a description of the Iridium satphone and other products, click here.

Non-profit organizations are eligible for discounted prices and rates through our partnering service providers. Please contact us at info@humaninet.org for more information.

Note: you may also lease Iridium phones from our service partners.

The Iridium satellite constellation. The Iridium phones use a system of 66 "low earth orbit (LEO)" satellites that travel approximately south to north. One or more satellites are always overhead. This is different from broadband satellite dishes (VSAT), which use geosynchronous satellites – always in the same place in an orbit over the equator. For details on the Iridium constellation, please see

Iridium Website
Telenor Website

For further information and assistance, contact us at info@humaninet.org.

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