Iridium’s satellite Network Operating Center (NOC). Photo: Iridium

[Via Satellite 10-20-2015] Iridium has completed its first voice and data ground test call over the next-generation Iridium Certus broadband network, currently under development. The test demonstrated the service using the prototype Iridium Certus Broadband Core Transceiver (BCX) module, processed through an updated Iridium Next satellite undergoing testing for first launch, and then terminated through the Iridium Certus gateway subsystem connecting to the public network. The voice and data call demonstrated the capabilities of three newly developed core components of the Iridium Certus communications system for the first time: the broadband satellite terminal, Iridium Next satellites and upgraded capabilities in Iridium’s terrestrial gateway.

Iridium Certus will offer an initial data speed of 352 Kbps, and a new voice codec capable of operating at twice the bit rate of Iridium’s current generation offerings. The company expects the service to enable data speeds eventually as high as 1.4 Mbps for a single user terminal after Iridium Next deployment is completed. The mobile satellite broadband service can serve as a standalone service or a complementary component of a Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) solution.