At the end of January 2023, the Iridium GO! exec was officially presented: The first mobile device developed for the new Iridium satellite generation. This means that a mobile device is available that offers sailors and adventurers contemporary upload and download speeds.
With 88 kbit/s download and 22 kbit/s upload, it is possible to use the usual apps for social media, e‑mail and surfing online. The download speed is nearly 40 times faster than with the first-generation Iridium GO! The times without direct internet access are also gone.
| Iridium GO! 1. generation | Iridium GO! exec 2. generation | |
| Internet access | Special GO! apps | IP data |
| Time to Connect | 30 seconds | 2 seconds |
| Time to Start Send / Receive Data | 45 seconds | 5 seconds |
| Upload Speed | 2.4 kbps | 22 kbps |
| Time to Send 10 KB | 1 minute | 10 seconds |
| Download Speed | 2.4 kbit/s | 88 kbps |
| Time to Download 50kB | 3 minutes | 10 seconds |
The GO! exec creates a WLAN network that several devices can use simultaneously. Social media on the tablet, satellite telephony on the smartphone and recieving and processing grip files on the notebook are therefore no problem. The notebook can also be connected via a network cable; a dedicated LAN socket is available on the GO! exec.
Other connections are: 2 USB‑C ports, one of which is for the power supply or charging of the internal battery, which is unfortunately permanently installed. The second USB‑C port can be used to connect a headset or charge your smartphone. There are also 2 connections for external antennas (satellite antenna and GPS antenna). This means that the Iridium GO! exec can be installed below deck or deep in the vehicle with the other equipment.
However, it is also mobile and, thanks to the rechargeable battery, can be used stand-alone. The battery provides the GO! exec with up to 24 hours of standby or up to 6 hours of call/data transmission. The device is dust and water resistant (IP65), robust (MIL-STD-810H) and compact. External features are a weight of 1200g and a square body with an edge length of 20cm and a height of 2.5cm. This means it also fits in a backpack if necessary.
Thanks to the built-in touchscreen, microphone and speaker, you can make phone calls directly on the device. So in case of an emergency in the life raft, you no longer have to rely on a saltwater-sensitive smartphone. However, the use of a headset may be useful here.
The SOS button of the GO! has been retained. In an emergency, this can be used to transmit the current GPS position data to specified recipients. It is also possible to connect the GO! exec to the International Emergency Response Coordination Center (IERCC) and initiate an international rescue operation.
In addition to the costs for the hardware, you need a fixed-term contract for use. Prepaid is no longer available, but there are several tariffs that can be cancelled monthly and so are very flexible. The cheapest tariff costs USD 109 per month, which includes 25 phone minutes and 25 MB data volume. The largest plan has a minimum contract period of one year, 1000 phone minutes and 1000 MB data volume are included annually, at a price of just USD 2600.
All details about the tariff plans can be found directly in the shop: Iridium Certus Postpaid SIM Card
Update 05.07.2023 — Prices adjusted. The tariff plans have become slightly cheaper.
