Iridium’s Hot Spot
Nice job by the marketing folks at Iridium! No, I’m not talking about their cheesy video production. I’m talking about getting their story picked up by the traffic-mongers at Gizmodo.
Iridium GO! is a small Wi-Fi device that connects to the LEO system for connectivity anywhere in the world.
That’s hot.
Their write-up is practical and spot-on:
Satellite data speeds typically max out around 2.4 to 2.8Kbps (that’s KILObits). We’re talking early ’90s dial-up speeds here. So, you can send a picture, but it had better be very compressed, and you may require the patience of a zen master. SMS speeds, though, should be comparable to what you’re used to here in your bustling metropolis, and it should be fine for text-based emails, too.
The Iridium GO! will be rolling out sometime in the first half of 2014. The price will depend on retailers, but Iridium expects it to be under $800. Yeah, that’s steep, and don’t forget you’re going to need a plan in order to connect. Again, plan pricing will be set by retailers but Iridium estimates that they will begin around $35/month on the low end, and about $130/month on the high end for unlimited data.
Tags: gizmodo, iridium, leo satellites
