[Satellite News 09-08-11] Iridium Communications has saved up a month’s worth of new mobile satellite products and services announcements and packaged them into Iridium Force — an initiative that involves the opening of its core Iridium technology licensing, the launch of a new handset and the expansion of capabilities under its existing portfolio.

   In a Sept. 7 statement, the company described the new Iridium Force initiative as a, “vision that accelerates the development of enhanced personal communication capabilities … and breaks the mold of traditional satellite industry go-to-market strategies by making Iridium technology more accessible and cost-effective for partners to develop a wider range of Iridium-based products and services.”

   The Iridium Force strategy includes allowing connectivity to Wi-Fi enabled devices such as smartphones, tablets and laptops, as well as for applications beyond the reach of terrestrial networks. Iridium said it plans to invest in developing open and embedded technology for its partners so it can collaborate with a broader set of solution partners in new markets. Iridium service enhancements under the program will focus on location awareness, as the operator said it would integrate GPS location-based services for its mobile location-specific applications and personal security capabilities.

   “With Iridium Force, we are leading an industry transformation once again by significantly extending the universe of handheld connectivity options,” Iridium CEO Matt Desch said in a statement. “Iridium Force is more than the launch of a new satellite phone; it signifies our commitment to enable powerful new capabilities including those devices that are already in customers’ hands to work on the Iridium network — today and in the future.”

   Iridium Force also outlines the launch of a variety of new Iridium voice and data products. The company unveiled Iridium Extreme, a rugged satellite handset with the ability to locate users anywhere on the surface of the planet. The handset was designed to meet the U.S. Department of Defense’s Military Standard 810F for durability and features a dedicated, two-way emergency SOS button on the unit.

   The initiative also will introduce the Iridium Core 9523 voice and data module — a device that will be packaged into a platform enabling Iridium partners to develop new Iridium-based handheld solutions. According to Desch, a number of the operator’s partners are already developing products and services surrounding the Iridium Core 9523. “More than 17 of our partners are creating customized online tracking portals developed using Iridium’s open software platform,” said Desch. “Iridium Portal features include tracking an Iridium Extreme user’s real-time status and location, zooming to street level via online maps, scheduling regular check-ins, providing emergency services, geo-fencing and sending free-form, canned and social networking messages.”

   The final element of the Iridium Force initiative is the roll-out of Iridium AxcessPoint — a Wi-Fi hotspot accessory that connects BlackBerry and Android devices to the Iridium network using an Iridium Extreme or Iridium 9555 satellite phone. To access the service, end-users will need to download a free Iridium AxcessPoint Mail and Web application to their devices. Iridium expects to launch AxcessPoint in the fourth quarter of 2011 at a suggested retail price of less than $200.

   Yankee Group Analyst John Keough said he believes that a satellite-based hotspot and product suite will be targeted to enterprise and consumer users that demand ubiquitous connectivity on devices they are familiar with. “For multinational organizations, such a suite provides a simple global alternative to navigating the complex roaming agreements currently found on terrestrial networks,” Keough said in a statement.