Iridium Communications, operating under the tagline ‘Your World. Our Network.®’, is a global leader in satellite communications, connecting people, organizations, and government entities to the things that matter most, irrespective of their location on Earth. Through a constellation of 75 satellites – 66 active and nine spares, as of June 2023 – Iridium facilitates voice and data services on land, in the air, or at sea. Located in low-Earth orbit (LEO) and interconnected, these satellites cover regions unserved by terrestrial communication networks. It’s the world’s largest commercial satellite network and the only one offering 100% global communication coverage.
Iridium’s technology is founded on the line-of-sight principle between the phone antenna and the orbiting satellite. While this posed certain limitations, such as the inability to use the phone inside moving vehicles, buildings, or many urban areas, it nevertheless underpins the company’s global connectivity success.
As of December 31, 2021, Iridium has a robust presence with over 530 employees and contractors worldwide, serving more than 1.7 million global subscribers through its network of over 450 value-added partners. Its team of international experts continues to push boundaries and set new standards in the satellite and communications industry.
Iridium’s corporate footprint spans state-of-the-art facilities across the globe, including corporate headquarters in McLean, Virginia; primary gateway and commercial ground stations in Tempe, Arizona; technical support center in Chandler, Arizona; and satellite & network operations in Leesburg, Virginia and Tempe, Arizona. The company also has commercial ground stations in Fairbanks, Alaska; Svalbard, Norway; and Punta Arenas, Chile, along with international and remote teams.
Iridium’s core services include the innovative Iridium Certus® Broadband and Midband Services, offering speeds up to 704 Kbps. Enabled by the upgraded Iridium constellation, Certus® is an advanced, multi-service platform that provides flexibility to scale device speed, size, and power requirements based on user needs.
In addition to its robust broadband services, Iridium has a rich history in personal communications. It offers a range of technologies from the original satellite phone to the first-ever truly global push-to-talk handsets, to today’s compact satellite communicators, enabling users to stay connected anywhere in the world.
Finally, Iridium is making strides in the Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity space. With its reliable global network, industry-leading development resources, and a diverse ecosystem of partners, Iridium enables remote sensing, monitoring, and tracking solutions; cloud computing; and autonomous system command and control, among other innovations. It continues to create new opportunities in virtually every market, setting new standards in global connectivity
