Mobile satellite solutions provider Pivotel has been named as a launch partner for US-based Iridium Communications’ satellite constellation Iridium NEXT, which aims to bring metropolitan mobile data capabilities to rural areas.
Gold Coast-based Pivotel is so far the only Australian partner offering Iridium’s Certus solution, which aims to provide high-speed mobile data coverage to the entire Earth, connecting oceans, deserts, airways and polar regions.
“We are excited by the new opportunities Iridium Certus will bring to the telecommunications industry, particularly for enterprises, governments and individuals operating in rural and remote areas,” Pivotel chief executive Peter Bolger said.
“The productivity and safety benefits that will flow from Iridium Certus will help secure the future of many regional businesses.”
Through the Iridium NEXT satellite constellation, Certus looks to offer users data speeds of up to 1.4 Mbps while on the move, using lightweight, small form factor antennas that can be mounted on “virtually any vehicle or asset”.
Regional emergency services will be among the first to benefit from Iridium Certus by keeping remote officers within State Emergency Services, Rural Fire, Ambulance and Police connected with high-speed data services on compact mobile devices while in the field and on the go.
“As a licensed service provider focused on remote communications and mobile satellite, we will play a pivotal role in bringing Iridium Certus to our direct customers in Australia, New Zealand and North America, and via our wholesale partners to customers around the world, delivering the secure and reliable service that is so important to the digital economy,” Bolger said.
"As a prominent service provider and valued satellite network partner of Iridium Communications, Pivotel and Iridium together are focused on delivering the highest performing, competitively priced solution to our customers.”
Iridium Communications has invested up to $3 billion to Certus by replacing the existing constellation of satellites with more powerful capabilities. There has been four launches of the Iridium NEXT satellites so far, with another four planned for the rest of the year.
Commercial availability for Certus is set at mid-2018.
In August last year, Pivotel acquired US satellite solutions developer Global Marine Networks, a developer focused on solutions increasing satellite data speeds while lowering usage costs.
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