- How do I place a call from an Iridium phone?
- You must be outside with a clear view to the sky. Satellite phones do not work indoors.
- Make sure the antenna is firmly seated in its socket. Hold in the button above the antenna, and firmly push the antenna all the way into the socket. While the antenna is firmly seated, release the button.
- Rotate the antenna up to a 45 degree angle, you will hear a click when it is in the correct position.
- Pull on the end of the antenna to fully extend it.
- Power on the phone and wait for the phone to register with the satellite.
- To place a call enter 00 followed by country code, area code and phone number. The country code for the US is 1. So, to place a call for example to 770-555-1212, you would enter:
00 1 770 555 1212 (without the spaces), then press the "Send" button.
If you experience problems,
review this Stratos FAQ page.
There is a 24x7 support line staffed by Stratos, our air time provider. If are still having a problem, give them a call. Before calling them, you should have available your Iridium phone number and the numbers off the sim card which is in your phone. Our activation confirmation email should have contained the sim number if you provided it. If you don't have this number, remove the back cover and then remove the battery. You might need to remove the sim to see the numbers. To remove, you slide the lock to unlock. After recording the sim number, place it back in the same position, insert battery, put the cover back on.
The best way to get support is then to go outside with a cell phone and the Iridium phone, and call the toll free number from the link above, using your cell phone. They can then diagnose your problem.
If they determine there is a hardware malfunction in your phone, it will need to be returned for repair. If it is a malfunctioning sim card, we'll have to send you a new one. If they determine it is a problem with your sim/phone number activation (not activated, no minutes remaining, etc.), then call or email us and we'll determine the problem.
- How do I place a call TO an Iridium phone?
Before traveling, you should provide those that need to contact you with instructions for placing a call to your Iridium phone.
There are two ways that calls can be placed to your Iridium phone.
- Direct Dialing - Caller places international long distance call directly to the Iridium phone. Start with the international dialing prefix for the country where the caller is located followed by your Iridium phone number. The international prefix for the US is 011. So to place a call to the Iridium phone from the US, the caller dials 011 followed by the Iridium phone number beginning with country code 8816. If you do not answer the phone, the caller may leave a voice mail message that you can retrieve later.
When placing a direct call as described above, the caller pays for the international call, and the incoming call on the Iridium is free, and does not use your minutes. However, some long distance carriers charge a very high per minute rate for calling country code 8816. We advise that callers check with their long distance provider for the per minute rate for country code 8816 before using this method. We provide an alternate method of placing a call to the Iridium to avoid this international rate, which is two stage dialing.
- Two Stage Dialing - The caller places a call to 480-768-2500. At the prompt, the caller enters the Iridium phone number beginning with 8816. The call is then transferred to your Iridium phone. With this method, the caller pays for the call to area code 408, which is a US number. The incoming minutes will be charged to the Iridium phone at the same rate for placing a call, or in the case of prepaid minutes, the minutes are subtracted from your remaining prepaid minutes.
Most users select Two Stage Dialing since it is normally less expensive, and eliminates each caller needing to check with their particular long distance carrier to determine the international rate to call country code 8816. Select the method which best meets your usage requirements.
- How do I send a text message to an Iridium phone?
People that need to contact you may also send a text message to the Iridium phone. Incoming text messages are free, and can be retrieved when you connect to the satellite. To send a message, http://messaging.iridium.com/. This is the best method since a text character counter is provided. Alternatively you may send an email by entering the Iridium phone number into the following generic email address, 8816[number]@msg.iridium.com. You may send a maximum of 160 characters, including the header information. Any messages in excess of 160 characters will be truncated.
- Do I need a special modem to make an Iridium Data call?
No. The software on the Iridium World Data Services CD allows you to utilize your Iridium phone as a modem. This CD is contained in the optional Iridium Data Kit.
- Do I need any special software to use Iridium World Data Services?
Yes. The software required for Iridium World Data Services is available on a CD contained in the optional Iridium Data Kit.
- How do I access my personal mailbox?
- Press the envelope button located above the number one on the key pad
- The screen will display "call: voice mail", Press the OK button
- This will connect you to the Iridium voice messaging center. At the prompt enter the twelve digit satphone number.
- When you here the voice mail greeting press the star button located in the bottom left hand corner of your key pad.
- You will be prompted to enter your password (1111); please do not change this password as this will result in a $25.00 charge to your credit card for a voice mail reset fee.
- Does Iridium Dial-Up Data Service work in a Macintosh environment?
Iridium Dial-Up Data may function in a Macintosh environment, but Iridium does not guarantee any level of compatibility or functionality. At this time, Iridium only supports its Data software within Microsoft Windows 95, 98, Me, NT 4.0, 2000 or XP Operating Systems.
- Does Iridium recommend any specific Internet Service Provider?
Iridium does not recommend any specific Internet Service Provider. If you are using Dial-Up Data Service, we recommend choosing an Internet Service Provider that provides an access number in the greater Phoenix, Arizona, USA area. This may provide higher reliability and call quality.
- How do I connect a USB computer to the serial port of my phone?
See this document for Iridium's suggestions:
Iridium Technical Advisory Options for connecting USB Computers to an ISU
| Data - Direct Internet 2.0 |
- Can I use a USB to serial adapter with DI 2.0?
Please refer to the following document for suggestions on how to connect USB computers to an ISU.
Iridium Technical Advisory Options for connecting USB Computers to an ISU
- Can I use the Direct Internet 2.0 software on my PDA?
No. Iridium Direct Internet 2.0 software is compatible with Microsoft Windows Operating Systems only at this time.
- Do I need to configure the DI2.0 software with a special number to dial?
For standard prepaid and postpaid users, the number to dial the DI2.0 server is already preconfigured in the software. Users using crew calling SIM cards will need to reconfigure the number to include the Captain Crew Calling prefix of "698" pre-pended to the number (and the "00" removed). However, once the number has been configured upon installation, it will no longer need to be programmed again for future satellite data calls.
- Does the Direct Internet 2.0 software work in a Macintosh environment?
No. Iridium Direct Internet 2.0 software is compatible with Microsoft Windows Operating Systems only at this time.
- What are the system requirements for DI2.0?
Minimum system requirements for a PC:
- Pentium 200MHz (or equivalent)
- 64MB RAM
- Minimum of 11MB of hard-drive space
- What do I need to use DI2.0?
You need to obtain the DI2.0 software and install it on your computer as well as a suitable Iridium phone. For a complete list of requirements please review the following:
Iridium Service Detail
- What if I am not using a protocol that DI2.0 accelerates, will it still work?
If DI2.0 detects a protocol that it cannot accelerate, by design, it will let that protocol pass through. However due to virus, Trojan and malicious software, Iridium restricts access to certain specific ports. If you are unsuccessful connecting via common protocols, contact your Service Provider or distributor with the port number you are attempting to use.
- What is DI2.0?
Direct Internet is a service that increases the throughput of email, web and ftp applications over the Iridium network.
Direct Internet Data Service provides connectivity from a PC, through your Iridium phone, directly to the Internet through dedicated servers at the Iridium gateway. This service utilizes transparent compression, resulting in effective throughput data rates higher than the 2.4 Kbps service that Iridium´s data service operates at.
- What other features does DI2.0 offer?
DI2.0 offers the following value-added services in addition to speeding up your Web and email usage:
- No cost client software
- Expanded browser compatibility
- Pop-Up Blocker - block annoying pop-up advertisements
- Banner-Ad Blocking - Stop the ads
- API available for custom application integration
- FTP Acceleration - Accelerate FTP file transfer (in passive mode)
- Privacy Manager - Provide a more secure browsing environment by clearing the cache, cookies, and history in the Temporary Internet Files folder. This is the same as clearing Internet Explorer's cache and the cache of any Web browser which uses the same cache folder.
- What protocols does DI2.0 accelerate?
DI2.0 will improve the throughput of
- Web browsing (HTTP, port 80)
- Email transfer (POP3, port 110 & SMTP, port 25)
- FTP (port 21)
- Where can I find more detailed information or troubleshooting tips for DI2.0?
All supporting documentation for using and troubleshooting DI2.0 is available at Iridium Service Detail User Guide
You may also contact your Service Provider for additional support.
- Where can I get the DI2.0 software?
The latest version of the DI2.0 software is available, at no cost here.
You can also ask your Iridium Service Partner or distributor for a CDROM. [Note: There is a material and distribution fee for the CDROM.]
- Which browsers is DI2.0 compatible with?
DI2.0 works with any Web browser that allows you to specify an HTTP proxy. It operates in the background, so with most web browsers, such as Internet Explorer, no user intervention is required.
Below is the list of supported Web browsers:
- Internet Explorer 5.0 and later
- Firefox 0.9 and later
- Mozilla 1.4 and later
- Netscape 6.0
- Opera 8.0 and later
For Firefox users, ensure that you install the Firefox extension when you install DI2.0. Once DI2.0 is running, start the browser and browse as you normally would. No user intervention is required since DI2.0 operates in the background.
- Which e-mail programs is DI2.0 compatible with?
DI2.0 is compatible with any POP3/IMAP/SMTP client, including Outlook Express, Eudora, Pegasus, Mozilla Mail, and Netscape Mail. Email acceleration is disabled by default.
- Which operating systems can DI2.0 be installed upon?
DI.20 is compatible with the following windows operating systems:
- Windows 95b with Winsock2
- Windows 98
- Windows 98SE
- Windows Millennium Edition (Windows ME)
- Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 6
- Windows 2000 Service Pack 4
- Windows XP
- Windows XP Service Pack 2
- Which phones can use Direct Internet 2.0?
All Iridium phones (except Kyocera) support DI2.0.
- Why does my Internet connection keep dropping while I am using Direct Internet Data?
This problem tends to manifest itself when signal quality is an issue. Users who are attempting data calls from inside of a building also tend to have this difficulty. When your call drops, look at the signal strength indicator in the upper left corner of the LCD on the phone and verify that your signal is in the range of 4 to 5 bars. If you are not getting 4 to 5 bars of signal, you may want to adjust your antenna to get a better view of the sky. If the problem persists, please contact the dealer through whom you purchase Iridium service. You may also want to verify that your connection is not spoofing.
- Can I dial into my Internet Service Provider using an Iridium phone?
Yes, you can dial into your Internet Service Provider using Dial-up Data. (For greater reliability, utilize an access phone number in the greater Phoenix, Arizona, USA area.) You may want to contact your ISP to verify that they support connections at 2400 baud.
- Can I send a fax through an Iridium phone using either Direct Internet Data or Dial-Up Data?
The uniHub, an Iridium specialized product offered by On-Go, automatically establishes a data call and then transmits the fax to its destination. By using the uniHub it is not necessary to manually establish a Direct Internet or Dial-up Data connection.
- Can I still get text messages while on a data call?
Yes, you can still receive text messages while on a data call. The phone will provide an audio alert and then prompt you to read the message. This will NOT interrupt a data call or cause loss of a connection.
- Cannot register with the Iridium network.
- Is a SIM card inserted into the phone?
- Check to see that the antenna is fully attached, fully extended and vertical, and that the phone is outside with a clear line-of-site to the sky.
- Turn the phone off and then on again and wait for the phone to register.
- If the phone will not register, attempt to force registration by pressing the up arrow key and the number 8 on the phone´s keypad.
- Do I need a special modem to make an Iridium Data call?
No. The software on the Iridium World Data Services CD allows you to utilize your Iridium phone as a modem. This CD is sold separately or packaged with the Iridium Data Kit.
- What is the difference between Dial-Up Data and Direct Internet Data?
Dial-Up Data allows a user to connect directly to their Internet Service Provider or a Corporate Network. Direct Internet Data connects the user directly to the Internet through the Iridium Gateway.
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