The next great shift in satellites is interoperability. Iridium and MSAT are two of the largest satellite networks. The Iridium PTT service has been used by the military for several years, and now it is cleared for civilian use. The MSAT PTT is a similar service that provides real-time communication as a supplement to traditional two-way radio systems. Both of these voice based services give access to point-to-multipoint and point-to-point communication at the push of a button. Many emergency responders and government agencies operate on one of these networks.
However, calling between the different satellite networks has always been problematic, if not totally impossible. This doesn’t even take into consideration the high per minute cost. For the first time, we can connect people over separate satellite networks.
Resolving Your Communication Problems
Recently, we have eliminated the direct calling problems between the MSAT Push to Talk Radio Satellite Network and the Iridium Satellite network. Now state and local government agencies can make voice calls between these satellite networks with basic dialing methods.
For MSAT to Iridium your dialing string should include 011 + 8816 xxxx xxxx (12 digit Iridium satphone number) <SEND>
For Iridium to MSAT your dialing string should include 01 + (800 or 877 toll free area code phone number) <GREEN/SEND> An important note: these calls will not be toll free and standard Iridium airtime rates will apply.
It’s exciting to offer interoperability between networks for customers that previously were unable to communicate. Currently our interoperability is for voice calls between Iridium and MSAT networks. If you have any questions about the process or what this means for your organization, contact us directly. We’re happy to discuss the best communication options for your needs.