The latest device Iridium GO! Exec® (What a funny name !) is available since March. It represents the first standalone device produced by Iridium to adopt the Certus®100 (¹) at 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 clearly related to.
Description
The housing, square shaped 20 cm side and weighing 1,2 kg, significantly more impressive than the Iridium GO!®, will hardly fit in the pocket of a wexed jacket ! The device has a color touch screen for simplified setting. The start-up is done by vertical flip of the antenna, such as the Iridium GO!®. It has 2 USB-C ports, 1 Ethernet port, 1 External antenna port, 1 port for external GPS/DataHub. A specific SIM card is supplied with the device, It can be turned on and off on demand without replacement. A built-in GPS receiver can only be used for the SOS function.
An external Certus 100, with 5 meters of non-extendable cable, and a mount kit for boats are available to order. More accessories will be available in the coming months. Note that the battery is not removable by the user, which is quite worrying.
Internet access
Iridium GO! Exec® offers throughputs up to 88 Kbps (650 KB / mn) for download, thus 40 times the throughput of the GO!®, up to22 Kbps (160 KB / mn) upload. The device provides a secure connection to the internet thanks to a built-in session control manager and an adjustable pre-configured firewall. It supports most messaging apps, email, chat like WhatsApp, or social networks like Twitter, but also custom applications using an API provided by Iridium, developers already working on Iridium GO! exec version of some popular applications for Iridium GO!® users. Built-in connection manager makes it easy to use by selecting which apps to use, prioritizing their connections and setting time and data volume limits to control costs.
Communications
Built-in secured Wi-Fi hotspot, the device offers multi-user access : 2 simultaneous voice calls and multiple data connections. Communications can be done remotely via Wi-Fi with smartphone and tablet featured with app ’GO exec® application (iOS/Android), already available on the stores. It also allows to work as a standalone device to make calls using its built-in microphone and its built-in speaker, or launch a SOS call if the user's mobile device runs out of power. With its high-performance battery, It offers an autonomy up to 6 hours in communication, 20 hours standby. It can even be used to directly charge a smartphone or tablet with its dedicated USB-C power output.
Downloading GRIB weather files, with a speed up to 650 KB / minute, can easily exceed the megabyte. But beware : No more unlimited data plan, no more question of multiplying requests ! It will be necessary to take into account the selected airtime, based on a monthly data amount (25, 50, 125 or 250 MB) not to be exceeded under penalty of painful additional costs (¹), especially if the crew is large.
Positioning
Iridium GO! Exec® takes place between the GO!® original and the first Certus® 100 device adapted to boating, the SkyLink 6100 (¹).
[Update 15 September 2023]
The above average rates are from several European suppliers. It is obvious that the Skylink 6100 offers much more comprehensive functions than the GO! Exec® : Multi-network GNSS receiver, Dual-SIM satellite/cellular auto-switched, Bluetooth, but its price is significantly higher and its airtimes nearly double those of the GO! Exec®.
In addition, This remains without considering the evolution of StarLink offers, still in active testing phase thanks to the thousands of users who rushed to Roam models (Mobile), and whose conditions of use are not yet clearly stabilized. We will know more in the second half of the year, I will be sure to update this post.
–––
(¹) Iridium Certus 100, a step towards yachting ?
–––
Hello,
Is this Iridium GO exec compatible with weather4D, with direct connection and download of grib ?
Thank you
Yes, it will be enough to create a connection profile with the IP addresses and ports that we will provide, while waiting for an API not yet provided by Iridium.
Thank you for this post, if Starlink continues with its policy of reducing fares, what will be left for Iridium Go? ?