Intellian to produce terminal for new Iridian satcom service

Global satellite communications company Iridium Communications has partnered with Intellian to manufacture maritime terminals for its specialty broadband service Iridium Certus. 

Intellian’s C700 terminal is designed to provide the fastest L-band broadband service in the industry, according to a press release from Iridium. It will reportedly deliver up to 352kbps transmission and 704kbps reception speeds through the Iridium Certus platform. Its 12-element patch technology ensures seamless connectivity, even in adverse weather or environments, according to the company. 

Wouter Deknopper, Iridium’s vice president and general manager of the maritime division, stated that the company expects the C700 terminal to become commercially available in the first half of 2020.

“Intellian brings years of world-class engineering, performance and industry leadership to the Iridium Certus product portfolio, and Iridium Certus enables Intellian to create new products without the borders and limitations of other networks,” Deknopper stated. 

Headquartered in McLean, Virginia, Iridium completed a $3 billion upgrade of its network in February, launching 75 new satellites into Low Earth Orbit (LEO), with 66 in the operational constellation and nine serving as on-orbit spares. As an L-band network, Iridium states that it is uniquely positioned to provide safety services, including those for the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS), expected in early 2020. 

For more information, visit iridium.com.