The Iridium GO! is a satellite phone without keypad, handset, microphone or speaker. The GO! becomes complete in interaction with your smartphone or tablet (Android or iOS). Both devices are connected via a Wi-Fi network which is set up by the Iridium GO!
Advantages and disadvantages
- You don’t need to manage your contacts and phone numbers on another device. The Iridium GO! turns your smartphone into a satellite phone. You can call or send text messages to all your saved contacts via satellite.
- With the additional app Iridium Mail you can even send and receive emails via satellite. However, the data rate is very low with a maximum of 2.4 kbit/s. You cannot make huge leaps with it, but it is enough for smaller messages or a compressed vacation photo. The most common and important application is the data retrieval of compressed weather data (grib-files) for updating (offshore) weather software.
- For the beginning of the marine weather field the comfortable direct retrieval via the Android/iOS app PredictWind is suitable. Here it is unnecessary to download the grib-files and to reopen them in the next program.
- The connection of an external antenna is possible. This way the GO! can stay protected below deck in an optional wall mount while you are on deck making phone calls or planning navigation on your laptop.
- The antenna also receives GPS, so the GO! always knows its position. Good for emergencies but also for tracking. So you can integrate the current position and route of your sailing boat into your website via our tracking portal. The emergency button on the GO! triggers a call to a user defined emergency number (if a smartphone is connected) and sends the current position to up to 3 addresses via email.
- In contrast to the standard phone models 9555 and Extreme 9575, the GO! does not require the installation and maintenance of USB drivers and modem software on your Windows PC. Unfortunately, this is often a problem.
- Up to 5 devices can connect to the Wi-Fi network provided by the Iridium GO! However, the use of telephony or data connection is not possible in parallel and also only for one device.
- The Iridium GO! has a very low data rate with max. 2.4 kbit/s. Furthermore, you do not get open internet access. The internet is limited to the apps provided by Iridium: All Iridium GO! Apps. WhatsApp and other messengers do not work. The ability to use Twitter was discontinued in 2020.
- The GPS signal can only be received via the built-in GO! antenna, but not via an external antenna, because the GO! has a connector for the SAT antenna cable, but not for GPS. When positioning the GO! below deck, the positions can therefore be patchy, and with an aluminum hull, no GPS signal can be received at all.
- A smartphone is always required to use the GO! So you have to take both devices with you into the liferaft in case of emergency. Exception: Sending GPS position data via the emergency button on the GO! can also be done without a smartphone, as long as it has been configured in advance. You should also keep both devices up to date, i.e. install firmware and app updates on the GO! and your smartphone to ensure smooth operation.
Summary
The Iridium GO! is a small but nice mobile all-in-one satellite solution for voice, SMS and email. You get a very good cost-benefit solution compared to Iridium’s standard phones, as you can get the data minute for half price in the GO! prepaid plans or switch to the data flat rate plan in postpaid contract.
However, you have to be aware that a smartphone is always necessary for the function, since the Iridium GO! does not offer a telephone receiver, microphone/speaker or keyboard. If you want “real internet”, you are probably better suited with the Iridium Thales VesseLINK 200/700 or Inmarsat Fleet One systems, which offer higher bandwidths.
