Global Telecoms Business Innovation Award grated for Iridium Openport®

Iridium Satellite LLC (Iridium) and Cambridge Consultants are proud to announce that Global Telecoms Business (GTB) has awarded its prestigious 2009 GTB Innovation Award to the two companies for excellence in the Wireless Network Infrastructure Innovation category. The award recognizes the groundbreaking Iridium OpenPort® system, which is the world’s first and only global high-speed voice and data service for the maritime market.

With its small footprint and light weight, the Iridium OpenPort omni-directional antenna array can be quickly installed in any convenient location on deck. It does not require a stabilization platform and is virtually maintenance free. With no moving parts, the array reduces the risk of failure or downtime and lowers the total cost of operations. Iridium OpenPort delivers up to three phone lines for simultaneous use and features always-on data with speeds up to 128 kbps – on an all-IP backbone.

“We are delighted to be recognized as a world leader in wireless innovation along with our partners at Cambridge Consultants,” said Matt Desch, chief executive officer of Iridium. “It reflects the innovation behind Iridium OpenPort as it delivers a total maritime communications solution, providing a reliable link for anyone operating in one of the world’s most unpredictable environments. It also reflects the hard work and dedication of our key design and development partner, Cambridge Consultants, who worked with us to develop this truly differentiating product.”

Cambridge Consultants, an international technology company with one of the world’s largest independent wireless development teams, has provided services to Iridium since 2003.

“Our multidisciplinary expertise in wireless technology and engineering has enabled us to act as a virtual R&D department for our partners at Iridium,” explained Richard Traherne, director of Cambridge Consultants’ Wireless Division. “This relationship has provided Iridium with flexible access to world-class skills across a wide range of different disciplines – all under one roof. This award is a demonstration of Iridium’s pioneering success and ability to provide total global communications solutions.”

Organized annually by GTB, the Innovation Awards are designed to honor innovative projects involving telecoms operators and service providers around the world, in association with their vendors and suppliers. Iridium and Cambridge Consultants joined 300 other telecommunication industry leaders from around the world at the Sheraton Park Lane Hotel in London, U.K. on June 16, 2009. Keynote speakers at the event included: Holly Kramer of Telstra, Dr. Saad Al-Barrak of Zain, and Nick Jeffery of Vodafone Global Enterprise. The ceremony was sponsored by Juniper Networks and Hewlett-Packard.

“We were impressed by the quality and number of nominations this year – the most we have ever had – so it was a special triumph to be one of the winners this year,” said Alan Burkitt-Gray, editor of GTB. “Iridium OpenPort is an outstanding project and well deserves its award.”