Updated 2.1 tutorials :
Updating New Offers (Services and Rates) and Terms of Use Starlink until 10 October 2024.
–––
Category : Satellite
Communication par satellite, Iridium, Inmarsat, Thuraya, Globalsat
Starlink on the high seas, cold shower ! [Update]
Barely published my last post « Starlink Mini, a stone into the sea ” that SpaceX makes it obsolete by radical modification of its service offering. Playtime is over : now offshore boating with Starlink will require a big wallet. Read more …
Starlink Mini : a stone into the sea [Update-2]
Since the launch of Starlink in 2020, the hardware and service offerings were particularly versatile (¹). If the first recreational boaters were able to benefit from a navigation service far superior to the official conditions of use, it seemed obvious that this somewhat chaotic launch period would eventually be regularized, and offers stabilized. Despite still a strong disparity in equipment and subscription pricing from one continent to another, or even from one country to another, we are starting to see more clearly.
This is the case for France with the arrival of Starlink Mini. [Update of 11-12 th 2024] Read more …
Starlink goes from strength to strength but still offers versatile services
Since the first launch in 2018 more than 6.600 satellites Starlink have been launched to date, of which almost 6.100 are operational (¹). Satellites have evolved technically, just as the infrastructure was gradually improved. They are launched in packets of 20 up to 23 at the rate of one SpaceX flight on average every ten days. However, the planned constellation of 34.396 satellites is still far from being achieved. Service coverage expands over time with the addition of new territories as requests for authorization from States are successfully completed. (²).
For more than four years, many boaters around the world have equipped their boat with an antenna/router kit by using the “Roaming” service. (ROAM in English) Who, with a particularly low cost, offers the possibility of maritime use off the coast thanks to an activated “Mobile Priority” option.
But everything is not as simple as that… Read more …
Iridium Communications acquires Satelles
Iridium to Expand its Reach as a Global Alternative PNT Service.„
This is how Iridium presents the acquisition of its partner Satelles. On September 4 mars 2024, Iridium Communications, strategic partner of the company Satelles of which it already owns 20% of capital, has announced its full acquisition, to become Iridium's "Satellite Time and Location" business unit. Iridium buys the 80% of capital remaining for approximately 115 million dollars (¹).
With this acquisition, Iridium aims to provide a PNT service (²) more robust and reliable than current GNSS networks (³). Read more …
Iridium GO! exec® adopts Certus®100 service [Update]
The latest device Iridium GO! exec® (what a funny name !) has been available since March. It represents the first standalone device produced by Iridium to adopt the Certus®100 (¹) up to 88 Kbps download, 22 Kbps upload.
This big brother of the Iridium GO!® appeared in 2014 provides download speeds 40 times faster, but at costs that are clearly proportional. Read more …
Iridium Certus 100, a step towards yachting ? [Update]
Since the operational commissioning of the constellation Iridium NEXT (¹), Iridium has begun offering its new range of services called " Certus® ”. These services rely on the significantly increased technological capabilities of new satellites, which has made it possible, among others, Iridium to be approved as a second satellite communications provider for the GMDSS maritime security service (²), of which the competitor Inmarsat has held the monopoly since 1979.
Certus®, in addition to demonstrating that American businessmen are also literate. (³), is a range available in six bandwith levels starting from 22 Kb/s up to 704 Kb/s, and up to 1408 Kb/s in the near future.
Internet par satellites : Riffifi in the firmament
In space, in an area called LEO (Low Earth Orbit) located at a distance of approximately 200 up to 1.000 km above our heads, several hundred, even thousands, satellites are already flying. They are mainly dedicated to communications and observations of all kinds, civil and military.
But for a short decade a fratricidal war has been declared, a frantic race between several private and semi-public companies to offer high-speed internet to all humans, wherever they live on the globe. The thing is important, because this market, beyond the altruism and generosity displayed by these ambitious programs, promises several billion dollars in earnings in the coming years. Read more …
Iridium emails accessible via webmail
On this opening day of the Paris Nautic boatshow, and as the Christmas holidays approach, I can't resist providing a small gift to the users of the satellite messaging app Iridium Mail & Web app. A tip that I have just been reminded of in the last newsletter of our friend Dominique, to iTabNav.fr, that you may meet on the Booth E11 – Hall 2 to ROM-Arrange.
For those who don't know yet, the email account created for use with the Iridium Mail & Web app (¹) has been accessible for some time by a webmail From any internet browser. Read more …
Iridium services : Inflation in Low Earth Orbit
Inflation does not spare satellite telephone services, to believe that the price of radio waves increases with the cost of transport ! Does this mean that the cost of the round trip of a radio wave toward Iridium satellites (environ 2 x 780 km) is directly impacted by the increase in fuel prices ? Damned, I will have to be explained !
Anyway, the bad news has just reached us through our partner iTabNav.fr : Significant general increase in Iridium subscription prices on January 1 2023 affecting all resellers. Read more …