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0 pointsyardie3y ago0 comments

Iridium Go is designed to hit a price point. Whats the cheapest way to get data out in the middle of the Atlantic and is basically plug and play. It has leapfrogged SSB packet radio as the preferred, low cost data service.

Also data is not charged in minutes, it's theoretically unlimited. The voice plans are charged in minutes and I don't think worth it.

Just like the RO water-makers in the past, I believe this is the opening salvo in bringing data prices down on the high seas. A few providers have been the only players in this field (Inmarsat and Iridium) and it shows. Prices haven't budged in ages.

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michaelt3y ago

> Also data is not charged in minutes, it's theoretically unlimited.

If you buy the 'medium plan' for $119/month [1] you get 150 Minutes of 'Data, Standard Voice or combination of both' and can buy additional data for US$0.42/min. And the 'light plan' [2] at $57/month includes just 5 minutes.

Data seems to a "call via the Iridium GO! Access number" like old school dial-up.

It's only if you buy the 'heavy plan' for $149 [3] that you get the 'Unlimited Data'

Or am I misunderstanding things?

[1] https://www.satphone.co.uk/product/iridium-go-post-paid-serv... [2] https://www.satphone.co.uk/product/iridium-go-post-paid-serv... [3] https://www.satphone.co.uk/product/iridium-go-post-paid-serv...

ncallaway3y ago

If we're comparing price to a $5,000/month offering, I think it's totally reasonable to compare it to the $149/month package of Iridium.

O__________O3y ago

Maybe, though there are 43830 minutes in a month and that package offers 150-mins. Guessing there better bulk min plans, but at the 0.42 a min over the 150-mins, that’s $18345.60 + the monthly fee.

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lxgr3y ago

> Also data is not charged in minutes, it's theoretically unlimited.

I'd argue it is inherently very limited – 2.4 kbit/s is really not a lot, even sustained over a whole month ;)

wumpus3y ago

My colleagues at the South Pole have to pay for Iridium in bytes.

There's no competition up there, GEO sats are too far north to see the Pole.

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