Iridium 9555N Satellite Phone (BPKTN1901)

The Iridium 9555 Satellite Phone was something that I had been keeping my eye out on for a long time. I knew it would be extremely handy to have, but I wasn't sure if I would get it or not. I finally decided to purchase this item in the case of an emergency, and it works wonders! I don't leave the house without my Iridium 9555 Satellite Phone and I don't plan to. I now feel 100% safe wherever I go knowing I have this phone with me at all times. I think this item is a necessity for everyone to acquire as it can save your life.

The phone remains in a remote location and could be a lifeline for us, thanks for the excellent service of this satphone.

This phone has often saved my bacon whilst in the real wild in Zambia and Zimbabwe on hunting and fishing expeditions.
What an absolute pleasure and rewarding experience to know you can communicate from anywhere at any time with anybody!

The satphone is much more compact and looks nice. Easy recharge with the new jack plug and recharger. Also the speaker funtion is new to me and I like that. It is your lifeline in the remote areas and it works 100%.

Very reliable sat phone, used it several times while on hunting trips. Good battery life, compact size, easy to use.

Great and excellent love the quality once I set it up and put on min I followed the instructions the reception is lovely. Am one happy customer.

Overall, very satisfied with the phone. I rented in the past and decided to purchase a phone.

Last winter, my dog team and I spent 100 consecutive days in the arctic with absolutely no means of communicating with civilization besides an Iridium satellite phone. The phone provided comfort in knowing that I could easily make a call even in the most extreme weather conditions and have a crystal clear connection. Iridium phones have proven to be rugged, durable, and 100% reliable.

Iridium has begun delivering its latest generation handset, which signals a new era for the global satellite carrier. It has been several years since any significant changes have been made in its handheld equipment, so for current users, this should be welcome news. I received one of the first 9555's that was delivered to World Communications in Chandler, Ariz., by Iridium. It has been a primary vendor for Iridium from the first implementation of the network. The new handsets, with accessories, sell for about $1,700, and according to Iridium, are available now.

The Iridium network, conceived, engineered, and built by Motorola, launched in 1997 as the first commercial constellation of 66 low earth orbit (LEO) satellites, crisscrossing the planet at about 500 miles above the Earth. The network was designed to provide secure communications on a global basis from a handheld that weighed about 12 ounces and could fit in your back pocket. While traditional geostationary satellite services, such as Inmarsat, requires the radio to be in one position during use so that the antenna can lock into a satellite beam, Iridium is entirely different. The system works while flying, driving, walking, or onboard a ship. I have had extensive experience with the Iridium network since it commenced operations, and have used each of the three different handsets (the 9500, 9505, and 9505A) that were available prior to the 9555. This system currently offers voice and data communications virtually anywhere, even in the most remote regions of the world, as I can personally attest.

There are several noticeable improvements in the latest phone in terms of design, operation, software, and functionality. After placing a few calls on the new handset, I can say that the audio quality seems to be much improved from my older 9505 unit. I recorded one of the calls that I made to an associate so you can judge this for yourself. The handset closely resembles a larger cell phone, but works very differently with regard to its communications path and network infrastructure. The menu system, display, and software of the 9555 have also been updated. The package is about 30 percent smaller than its predecessor, the 9505, and the special antenna has been redesigned to retract into the body of the radio, rather than rotating and swinging upward to a vertical position. The battery charging system is also better in terms of size and connector. The handset now has a USB data port and new software for simplified Internet access. Although the transmission speed is still very slow, at 9600 baud, it is acceptable for e-mail when there is no other available service.

The communications security of the Iridium network is assured because of the way it transmits data from the handset to one or more satellites, then to a network gateway and the public switched telephone network. The satellites all talk to each other across the constellation in order to relay signals to a gateway facility, but the information is not repeated down to the ground, so intercept is extremely difficult. Even if the 1,640Mhz signal could be captured directly from a handset, it would not provide much intelligence because of the way in which the network is configured. As an example, I was in Havana, Cuba last year and needed to make secure telephone calls back to the U.S. Cuban authorities routinely monitor cell phone traffic but are unable to listen in on Iridium. If you routinely travel to countries where you require the ability to communicate by voice or data without fear of eavesdropping, then Iridium is an excellent solution.

The prime North American competitor is Globalstar, which was originally launched at about the same time as Iridium. The Globalstar network is also based upon a LEO satellite constellation, but the infrastructure and transmission protocol are quite different than Iridium. Their 48 satellites operate about twice the distance from Earth than those of Iridium, and talk to different ground stations that are operated by various Globalstar partners. The network filed for bankruptcy in 2002 but came back two years later after an infusion of capital from Thermo Capital Partners. Unfortunately, Globalstar has been experiencing significant technical problems which have affected its coverage and reliability of service.

Iridium filed for bankruptcy in 1999. When it shut down, the network consisted of 13 planned or constructed gateway facilities throughout the world. The system was supposed to be decommissioned, but at the last minute, it was decided that Iridium could be a vital military communications asset, especially since one of the network operation centers was built in Hawaii specifically to handle all of the government traffic. An entrepreneur purchased the entire Iridium system for about $25 million and then signed an agreement with the Department of Defense to supply communications to the DOD, state, and other government agencies. When it resumed operation, the system was locked into the original two handsets. The 9500 and 9505 (and the slightly modified 9505A) were all that were available because the prime supplier, Motorola, was out of the picture. The network and current handsets have continued to provide primary handheld satellite communications for the Defense Department and state in Iraq and virtually everywhere else in the world. Iridium is utilized for mission-critical applications by many government agencies and private industries. The cost of a call is $1 to $2 a minute, depending upon pricing plan. It is competitive with cellular, but offers a much more cost-effective solution for portable-to-portable communications when roaming overseas on GSM networks.

Works great! This is a great way to stay connected whether you're crossing an ocean in a yacht, or traveling across remote wilderness. Send and receive phone calls, or connect your PC or Macintosh to it using a cable to send/receive email or get on the internet. You can stay connected anywhere.