Iridium History
In 1987 Iridium was born as a concept by a team of Motorola engineers.
Research and development was started into the first satellite-based personal
mobile communications network. Iridium was developed to provide a reliable
communication solution for the 80% of the world void of cellular coverage.
The Iridium Network
The Iridium Network's unique design allows voice, messaging and paging
service to be routed virtually anywhere on the globe. Your telephone, messages
and pages are relayed from satellite to satellite until it reaches the satellite
located above your location from which the signal is relayed back toward earth.
The Iridium Satellite Network
There are 66 satellite in orbit around the earth on 6 orbital planes
Each orbital plane consists of 11 operational satellites and 1 in reserve.
The average life-span of the satellite is 5 - 8 years.
Satellite are in near-polar orbit at an altitude of 485 miles (780 km) and
circle the earth once every 100 minutes.
Each spot beam can support 250 users at one time.
The Iridium World Services
There are four basic Iridium World Services:
Iridium World Satellite Service - Iridium World
Satellite Service covers the earth's entire surface with 66 low earth orbit
(LEO) satellites. This enables you to communicate with a handheld satellite
telephone in locations where cellular or terrestrial service is either
unreliable or non-existent. Callers to your Iridium phone number do not have to
know your location in order to place a call, send a message or page.
Iridium World Roaming Service - Iridium World
Roaming Service allows the user to use cellular networks throughout the world.
When your phone is switched on, you are automatically registered with
participating cellular networks. Callers can reach you through your cellular
telephone number. You can use a cellular phone with Iridium World Roaming
Service.
Iridium World Page Service - Iridium World Page
Service covers the earth's entire surface and enables the user to receive
messages in more than 200 countries. This service is available as a stand-alone
service or as complimentary service to other Iridium services. The Iridium World
Page Service allows you to receive alphanumeric messages of up to 120 characters
in your native language.
H.M.S. Communications, Inc. provides a full range of Iridium services and
equipment:
Global satellite voice and paging services
through the smallest satellite terminals available
One convenient phone number and bill
when roaming between wireless and satellite networks
Roaming onto previously incompatible cellular
networks
Simple and cost-effective paging anywhere in
the world
Full array of features - Voice Mail, Call Forwarding, Paging - to ensure
you're always in touch
No charges to receive calls with Complete
Calling Party Pays
Peace of mind through Stratos' extensive 24x
7 customer care
Future fax and data service enhancements
Competitive rate plans to suit your needs
Iridium Service Features
Personal Mailbox
Subscribers whose home network is Iridium are provided with a personal mailbox
that can receive and store numeric messages, text messages, and voice mail*
messages.
* Voice Mail
Voice mail allows callers to leave a recorded message in a personal mailbox.
This optional feature is available to "Iridium-homed" subscribers.
Text Messaging
Text messaging allows subscribers to receive short text messages on their phones
and pagers. The phone may receive messages of up to 160 characters, while the
pager may receive messages of up to 200 characters.
Numeric Messaging
Numeric messaging allows for the sending of numeric messages via a touch-tone
phone to the subscriber's phone or pager. This feature is only available to
Iridium-homed subscribers.
Call Forwarding
Call forwarding allows users to redirect incoming calls to another phone number.
Call Barring
Call barring service enables the user to bar all outgoing or incoming calls.
This service is especially useful when a user is lending his phone to someone
else.
Emergency Calling
Emergency calling allows the subscriber to place an emergency call in most the
world by dialing an abbreviated number.
EQUIPMENT
Here are links to H.M.S. Communications Inc.'s Iridium Equipment and
Accessories
Motorola Equipment and Accessories
E-MAIL OR CALL FOR THE LATEST EQUIPMENT
AND SERVICE PRICING!
   H.M.S.
Communications, Inc.'s products and services are provided by Stratos, an
international multi-network mobile satellite service provider offering a
complete range of communications solutions.
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