Artist rendition of an Iridium Next satellite, which will power Iridium Certus. Photo: Iridium

Iridium, Cobham Satcom, and Thales showcased the upcoming Certus satellite data services and terminal hardware at an open event in Santiago, Chile. Iridium Certus, the new packet-switched data mode service made possible by the modernization of the Iridium Next constellation, will start with speeds of 352 kilobits per second (symmetric through some terminals), which during 2019 will increase to 704 kbps, surpassing L-band service offerings from other providers and capable of operating even at the north and south poles, according to the release.

When the Iridium Certus service is available before the end of the year, this terminal will communicate at speeds of 352 kbps downstream and 176 kbps upstream, through three general-purpose Ethernet ports, and will also connect to up to three Iridium circuit-switched voice lines through a built-in Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) server. With the later upgrade to 704 kbps, these terminals will even present themselves as an option that could replace Very Small Aperature Terminals (VSATs) in some applications

With the presence of staff from all four companies, local partners were able to learn details about the installation and operation of the Certus terminals from Thales and Cobham, soon to be available for purchase through Globalsat. Customers from mining, telecommunications, energy, finance, government, and other sectors attended the event.