B/CA Show News - NBAA 2007 Day 1 - (Page 26) d1p26 final 9/24/07 11:22 AM Page 1 SATCOMS & SATPHONES N BA A 2007 “Only Iridium,” Says Iridium, Claiming Record Numbers “Only Iridium offers secure, real-time, gapfree voice and data communications with guaranteed reliability everywhere in the world,” says Iridium Satellite president and CEO Matt Desch. “This, combined with our near-perfect connection rate and unmatched network quality, has resulted in our exponential growth as thousands of satellite services customers switch to Iridium.” Desch has a right to crow as his Marylandbased firm has added a combined total of 22,000 Matt Desch. net subscribers compared to 9,000 and 7,000 during the same period in 2006 and 2005 respectively. “Never before have we added so many subscribers, so quickly,” he says. “These totals exceed all previous traffic and subscription records.” “Iridium is increasingly the first choice.” Iridium credits an aggressive new pricing plan “and churn from other satellite communications service providers.” Canadian summer traffic alone has nearly doubled, increasing 78%. U.S. use rose 71%. Traffic in the Asia/Pacific region is also up nearly 50%. In Australia, the company says, “Iridium continues to win thousands of customers who were previously served by competing mobile satellite service providers.” “Our service partners and value-added resellers broke records in every category this summer, selling more phones and activating more subscribers than ever before,” Desch says. “We carried more traffic for them than we have in any previous summer season, and we are on track to continue this trend into next year as well,” Desch says. ICG Introduces Sigma-7 Backlit Handset International Communications Group’s Sigma-7 BL (backlit) retractorreel handset is similar to traditional aeronautical handsets in form factor and appearance, but is simpler and more conventional in its use. The Sigma-7 BL offers features commonly found in office-style multifunction handsets. When connected to an ICG Iridium system or CTU, a user has powerful PABX features and functions available. Special features include backlit buttons and LCD display, noise-canceling microphone, speed dialing, last number redial and mute. Visit ICG at Booth 3705. Satcom1 Has Onboard Cell Phone Solution Satcom service provider Satcom1 has introduced a system allowing users to call and receive phone calls on their own personal cell phones on board business jets. This service is available for most hybrid cell/Wi-Fi phones. The phone must be used in “flight mode” with wireless LAN enabled. The technology is easily certifiable on the aircraft since it makes use of existing wireless LANs on board the aircraft. The service is based on last mile VoIP, making use of VoIP in the cabin and traditional robust satellite voice between the aircraft and the ground. It has been successfully tested air-to-ground and ground-to-air using Inmarsat Swift64 as well as Inmarsat Aero-H+ technology. Pole-to-Pole Coverage Paying Off for Iridium Aeronautical subscribers to the Iridium mobile satellite communications service grew 60% over the 12 months ending in June—quite a bit faster than Iridium’s gains in subscribers in all categories at 24%. “Iridium’s value proposition is unique to the industry. It is the only mobile satellite network providing ubiquitous pole-to-pole coverage using a low-cost, lightweight, low-drag avionics and antenna package,” says Greg Ewert, executive vice president of Iridium Satellite. Business jet manufacturers are now offering Iridium as part of the standard factory-installed avionics package. Iridium is an option for the Eclipse 500 very light jet. And a lot of the Iridium growth in aviation is occurring in helicopter fleets to meet government flight-following regulations. Thrane & Thrane and ICG Team on Satcoms Thrane & Thrane (Booth 645) has integrated International Communications Group’s CS-200 dual-channel satellite communication terminal with its Aero-HSD+ system. The new compact solution expands the total number of voice channels and increases the flexibility of channel types available to users; permitting use of the same communications devices over Iridium and Inmarsat satellite networks. “This fulfills a demand within the market for an airborne office communication package that provides users with the option of high-speed broadband while at the same time offering economical voice communications,” said ICG president Armin Jabs. Air Phones for Mid-Level Operators Announced at the convention this week is the Sky Connect affordable phone system—priced at $15,000—that will make in-flight calling accessible to mid-level operators. The equipment, which is offered to what Sky Connect considers to be an under-served segment of the business aviation market, is shown at Booth 7428. Those who order a new phone system before Dec. 31 will receive 1,000 free minutes. Sky Connect’s forte is Iridium-based tracking, voice and text communications systems, allowing aviation managers to communicate with flight crews throughout the world. Be Shaken and Stirred by Immarsat "Groovy 1960s prizes" are yours for the taking at Booth 5211, where Inmarsat is displaying its SwiftBroadband services and providing 10-minute primers on how to make phone calls and data communication more cost effective, flexible and reliable. The first 40 to sign up online will get a martini set fit for an international man of mystery and have the opportunity to be photographed with an Austin Powers impersonator. Join Inmarsat for wine and beer between 4pm and 6pm on Tuesday and Wednesday. 26 September 25, 2007 www.aviationweek.com/shownews http://www.aviationweek.com/shownews
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