Iridium Communications Inc. (NASDAQ:IRDM) announced today that over the last 12 months, ending June 30, 2016, the company shipped over 2,200 Iridium Pilot® units, concluding with one of the best quarters in company history. Iridium Pilot, which is powered by Iridium OpenPort®, Iridium’s current global broadband service, is one of the fastest growing maritime products in the Mobile Satellite Service (MSS) industry today. Over the same 12-month period, Iridium OpenPort subscriber base increased by 9 percent across the company’s vast partner network and customer base.
“We equip our customers’ fleets with the most reliable solutions, not only to ensure business continuity, but also so personnel feel safe and connected to life on land,” said Tore Morten Olsen, president maritime, Marlink. “We are pleased to work with Iridium to provide truly global back up coverage which we pair with our best-in-class Marlink Sealink VSAT. By combining VSAT and MSS we are able to offer a broader range of connectivity solutions for ship owners to choose from. Therefore, Iridium is an important partner for Marlink to provide the highest levels of flexibility for ship owners across all maritime segments and vessel sizes.”
Iridium’s maritime line of business focuses on value, offering Iridium Pilot packages that deliver reliable satellite communications via the Iridium network, at prices that are flexible for shipping companies and vessels of all sizes. The network, which is a constellation located in low Earth orbit (LEO), is the only truly global satellite constellation, providing robust and reliable satellite connectivity anywhere on the planet, making it an ideal provider for mariners, especially those traveling in remote waters.
“It is an exciting time to work at Iridium and to be serving the maritime industry,” said Wouter Deknopper, vice president and general manager, maritime line of business at Iridium. “The strong performance of Iridium Pilot, combined with Iridium’s progress towards achieving certification to provide Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) communications, and the next-generation broadband service, Iridium CertusSM, on the horizon, demonstrates that Iridium is poised to take the lead in one of the fastest growing verticals in the satellite industry. We are proud to be able to provide the industry what it needs, offering valuable and flexible alternatives for mariners who need reliable communications.”
The Iridium Pilot terminal can be used as a primary means of communication on ships or as a VSAT backup solution. The device has a small, rugged design and omnidirectional L-band antenna, ensuring that it can perform in rough maritime environments, without taking up too much space on any ship. The Iridium team has prepared for the upcoming launch of Iridium NEXT, the company’s next-generation satellite constellation, by ensuring that all Iridium Pilot terminals are forward compatible, meaning that existing equipment will work across both networks. For more information about Iridium Pilot, please visit https://iridium.com/products/details/iridiumpilot
About Iridium Communications Inc.
Iridium is the only mobile voice and data satellite communications network that spans the entire globe. Iridium enables connections between people, organizations and assets to and from anywhere, in real time. Together with its ecosystem of partner companies, Iridium delivers an innovative and rich portfolio of reliable solutions for markets that require truly global communications. The company has a major development program underway for its next-generation network — Iridium NEXT. Iridium Communications Inc. is headquartered in McLean, Va., U.S.A., and its common stock trades on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the ticker symbol IRDM. For more information about Iridium products, services and partner solutions, visit www.iridium.com.
