The Iridium project brings with it a mountain of innovations in the form of more efficient production techniques, aeronautical services, SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) cards, and new services and functions of the Iridium phones and pagers.
 

    A prime example of an innovation within an innovation is the mass production of the satellites.    Before the project, satellite production was likened to that of car manufacturing in the pre-Henry Ford era.    The satellites previously required extensive testing and were very labor intensive.    Engineers at Motorola'sSATCOM station in Chandler, Arizona produced a new method of manufacturing  from eight to ten satellites at one time on the assembly line.   They also were the first to use the Just-In-Time (JIT) philosophy for synchronizing parts supply (borrowed of course from the Japanese car manufacturer Toyota).  How will this affect us?  These new methods employed will eventually drive down costs for the producer  (Moore's Law) as well as the consumer making global communication more affordable .
 
 

   Iridium aeronautical services will provide voice, facsimile and data services to travelers on commercial and general aviation aircraft.  Because airlines are constantly trying to improve services for their customers, this will be a huge marketing point.  Customers currently cannot use cellular or satellite phones on the aircraft because the radio waves may interfere with an aircraft's control and navigation system.  To view one of these data devices click here.   Customers will actually be able to send or receive a facsimile as well as retrieve messages while in the air. This service will also increase safety because pilots will have another way to communicate with each other.  One of the devices that will make the aeronautical service possible is the SIM card.
 

  Each Iridium customer will be issued SIM cards which is a type of "smart card"  with a microprocessor with non-volatile memory and can also be used for financial transactions.    It will ultimately replace cash, credit cards, frequent flier cards, passports and other forms of identification.  On a commercial flight, thee customer will insert the SIM card into the installation in front of him making the airborne telephone operate as the subscriber's personal telephone.  This will automatically register the subscriber with the Iridium System and will route incoming calls to the correct on-board telephone.  The originator of the call will not even know that his call is being routed to an airplane!!  The unit will allow the walk around the airplane "roaming"   in the same way that GSM cellular networks work.  The customer will also be able to retrieve stock quotes, make hotel reservations or travel info, as well as check the latest score for UT football.
 

    The most impressive innovations of the Iridium project  are the services and  features of the new phones.  One of the key components and major marketing points is cell compatability.
The Iridium Dual Mode will offer service simply by docking Iridium-capable handsets.  It will enable the customer to take advantage of the Iridium satellite network while having the option to use the local cellular network.  This will be perfect for companies who can issue separate phones for local calls and use the port for international and global calls.
 
 

    Other new features of the phones will include a world alarm timer where the phone will automatically set itself to the current local time where you set up the handset.  There will be an answering service function capable of recording up to 255 messages.  With this will be a Drive Mode Function which, when activated, politely explains to any caller that the user is busy driving.  Another innovative feature is the "memo while calling" which will allow the user to put the incoming caller on hold in order to record the important phone number just recited.  There will be a separate vibrating device available so that the user will not have to worry about those noisy interrupting calls.  The user can also put the phone on privacy mode to adjust microphone sensitivity.  If the user decides to go hiking out in the mountains he can use the sollar supply kit and run on a natural resource.

    And finally, not to be left out, are the new features and services with the Iridium pagers.   The new pagers will be capable of receiving  alpha-numeric messages of up to 80 charaters.  The user will be able to communicate in up to 19 different international languages and store up to 99 messages due to the 128 KB RAM memory.  If unable to reach an Iridium customer by phone he can automatically leave a message via the Global Notification Service (GNS).   Finally the user will be able to use a network where he can be reached anywhere in the world on one global number and he will only receive one telephone bill.
 
 
 
 
 

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