Iridium Satellite LLC announced plans to deploy a group call push-to-talk voice and data service. The new service will allow for deployment of multi-user communication “nets” from Iridium mobile satphones from anywhere worldwide. The service is designed for public and private sector first responders and is ideal for crisis applications where rapid deployment, reliability and security are key, the company said. The group call push-to-talk communications service will allow one user to talk or transmit data to many users simultaneously. Dispatch centers will be able to set up multi-user communication nets on Iridium satellite channels. The service will be scalable to meet user requirements. It will enable over-the-air group management where dispatch centers can add users to groups as needed. In addition, users will be able to access voice and data communications at the same time when immediate access to critical systems and information from any location is required. The service will incorporate end-to-end encryption to ensure secure communications. Iridium users desiring this service will be able to upgrade their Iridium 9505 and 9505A satphones with new broadcast/group software and a small push-to-talk ancillary device. When not operating in a group call mode, the handsets will function normally in the traditional phone-to-phone mode.

“The Iridium group call push-to-talk communications service will be able to link three, four, a dozen or even hundreds of users together into an effective network,” said Iridium Executive Vice President Greg Ewert in a prepared statement. “This Iridium service will offer the virtual equivalent of repeater stations in space. The need to position a repeater station on a mountaintop or a tall – and vulnerable – structure will no longer exist.”

Iridium expects to achieve initial deployment for Department of Defense users by the fourth quarter 2005. Iridium will launch to homeland security and commercial customers in 2006, focusing on public safety, border patrol, customs, forestry, oil and gas, fishing and mining applications. Iridium anticipates needs in the area of command and control, logistics, support, position reporting, observation and other critical information relay beyond line-of-sight.