Iridium Communications has released details of its second-generation maritime broadband platform, known as Iridium Pilot, and based on the Iridium OpenPort service, which is claimed to offer fully global marine broadband.

Iridium says that Pilot is engineered to withstand maritime conditions, while being packaged in a small, lightweight antenna. The electronically-steerable, phased-array antenna is designed to maintain connectivity in rough seas. Iridium Pilot offers broadband connectivity plus three independent phone lines, all of which work simultaneously, with data speeds up to 134kbps.

New capabilities available with the Pilkot platform include a built-in firewall for traffic management and a bulk configuration capability to assist in managing large volumes of units. Additionally, the company says that its Iridium Global Service Program offers the industry's only standard five-year limited warranty.

The company believes that the systems will provide an attractive value proposition for low- and medium-end markets, including safety communications, ship operations, crew welfare and provision of complementary services for VSAT. Iridium Pilot is designed for compatibility the company's next generation satellite constellation, and will be supported beyond 2020.

Source: The Motorship