Iridium
Introduces
New
Features
for
Its
Latest
Global
Satellite
Phone
Jun
9,
2010
Iridium
Communications
Inc.
/quotes/comstock/15*!irdm/quotes/nls/irdm
announces
important
new
features
for
its
Iridium
9555
satellite
handset.
The
latest
firmware
release
for
the
Iridium
9555
includes
the
ability
to
directly
interface
with
computers
running
on
Windows
XP,
Vista
and
Windows
7,
as
well
as
Mac
Version
10.4
or
later.
The
upgrades
now
make
it
easier
for
users
to
send
and
receive
e-mails
and
exchange
computer
files
through
the
Iridium
satellite
phone.
The
Iridium
9555
connects
to
the
laptop
with
a
standard
mini-USB
cable.
In
addition,
the
Iridium
9555
has
enhanced
short-message
service
(SMS)
text
capabilities.
Iridium
9555
users
can
now
send
and
receive
long
SMS
texts
up
to
1,000
characters
in
length
to
an
e-mail
address
or
mobile
phone.
Previously,
the
Iridium
9555
offered
the
ability
to
text
up
to
160
characters.
"These
new
features
will
greatly
enhance
users'
experience
with
Iridium
satellite
phones
and
are
part
of
our
program
of
continuous
product
improvement,"
said
Joel
Thompson,
vice
president
of
product
management
for
Iridium.
"Since
its
introduction
in
2008,
the
Iridium
9555
has
maintained
market
leadership
as
the
only
satellite
phone
that
provides
dependable
communications-on-the-move
globally,
including
places
where
other
satellite
systems
cannot
reach."
"The
compact
lightweight
Iridium
9555
has
established
the
standard
for
satellite
phones
in
terms
of
convenience
and
portability,"
said
Thompson.
"The
Iridium
9555
has
proved
to
be a
critical
communication
link
for
relief
and
recovery
operations
during
recent
earthquakes
and
other
natural
disasters
in
which
reliability
and
mobility
are
crucial."
The
Iridium
9555
phone
uses
the
company's
constellation
of
66
cross-linked
satellites
orbiting
about
500
miles
above
the
Earth's
surface.
The
satellite
orbits
intersect
over
the
North
and
South
poles,
providing
complete
coverage
over
the
entire
Earth's
surface.
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