Iridium's SatCom Broadband Chosen for Ocean Race Yachts

Iridium's SatCom broadband platform, Iridium Pilot, provides yacht race entrants with vital communications link via World's furthest-reaching network

Iridium Communications Inc. is providing vital satellite broadband communications connectivity for sailors competing in the prestigious international sailboat races of the IMOCA Championship. The Europa 'Warm Up' Race kicked off May 19 and runs through June 9, 2012.

Twenty sailboats will be equipped with Iridium Pilot™ terminals, the new Iridium maritime broadband platform, as part of the telecommunications package provided by Geolink, a long-time Iridium partner and innovative race communications supplier. Relying on the world's only truly global satellite network, skippers and crews can access real-time weather reports, sailing conditions, benefit from an emergency communications safety link, and stay connected to family and friends via phone, email, Facebook and Twitter throughout the race.

The Europa Warm'Up is a 3,200-nautical mile (more than 5,000 km) race for IMOCA 60-foot monohull yachts. It serves as an opportunity for seven competitors to sail in race conditions similar to those they will face in the round-the-world Vendée Globe Race in November 2012. This two-stage race began in Barcelona and tasks sailors to navigate a grueling Mediterranean course, where they will cross the finish in La Rochelle on June 5 or 6, 2012.

"Iridium Pilot, supported by the Iridium OpenPort® service, is the ideal satellite communications solution for maritime, providing reliable communications connections everywhere sailors go," said Greg Ewert, executive vice president, global channel distribution, Iridium.

"Combine that with a compact sized terminal, low-cost airtime, high quality voice and data communications, and there is really no comparison to other satellite network services that only work in certain regions, using large terminals and expensive air time costs.

 Our critical communications services are ideal for mariners in any market sector, merchant, fishing, racing, or leisure, where weather conditions can change rapidly and connectivity needs to remain consistently robust. We are proud to be the service provider of choice for the IMOCA races and to keep sailors connected wherever they may sail."