When necessary, your sat-phone will beam your voice and data directly to a satellite. The decision to go for intermediate or GEO satellites was, Jai Singh says, based on user convenience. A link from Pitcairn Island to Rockall might be set up entirely between satellites. It will also use cellular networks where possible, and will have a built-in data link. Motorola hopes to have two million customers four years after the system goes operational in 1998.
Iridium is an extraordiarily large space project.
Iridium spokesperson John Windolph says that they are talking with Personal Digital Assistant manufacturers about building in Iridium equipment, and Motorola plans to make its own PDAs. A PDA with a high-speed satellite link and simple software could operate as a terminal of any other computer, anywhere. Political problems may crop up. Some countries are chary of a communication channel which competes with their telephone monopolies, and over which they have no control. India, for example, officially won't allow you to use a modem without a government license.