I have checked this post and corrected many mistakes for accuracy a few times. (comparing similar market and products and prices- and mobile phone connection speeds)
Comments QA/QC checks welcome.
(I contend that inmasat-5 will connect to the isathub device in direct competition to the NEXT Iridium Go device and have download speeds of up to 50MBytes- maybe less on narrow beam services.
and iridium Go will have download speed of ??? circuit switched data 9-64kbit or broadcast 64kbit- or 1.5MB/500kbit???
my logic says 2G 64kbit "circuit switched data" (
need to confirm this data speed)
(and iridium Go charges approx *10 the cost perMB odfdata than the inmarsat isathub)
http://www.bluecosmo.com/iridium-go
http://groundcontrol.com/one-touch-flyaway_001.htm
What about the inmarsat isathub - similar product as the iridium Go
and at present has data speeds of 240/384kbit/sec send recieve and
3G connectivity - much faster than the present 2.4kbit/sec data speed iridium network. (Iridium Next in 2017)
The new Iridium Next satellite network, will have new services of L band 1512kb/sec upload and 1.5Mbitb/sec download -and broadcast 64kps.- when fully operational in 2017.
So the question is - which speed does the iridium Go product use on the new sat network?
Seems that the present one uses "circuit switched data" of 2.4k and the new "circuit switched data" is 64k. ("circuit switched data" is GSM 2G mobile phone connectivity- superceded by 2G GRPS and EDGE )
ref;
https://www.iridium.com//About/IridiumNEXT/Technology.aspx
( "features such as
data transmission which were
not emphasized in the original design" ref;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iridium_satellite_constellation#Next-generation_constellation )
The new inmarsat Global Express satellite network will have have 50mB/download 5MB/upload speeds.-
4G connectivity.
What if the inmarsat isathub can connect to the new inmarsat Global Express network?
50 times faster. Cant find any info if it can or cant. Just that if it can it will blow the iridium Go.
Was told that it does not connect to handhelds (doesnt seem right)- maybe because products arent made yet.
"Global Xpress will deliver seamless global coverage and unprecedented mobile broadband with downlink speeds up to 50Mbps to customer terminals from 20cm-60cm in size." The isathub could be about 20cm.
Just that they have not made the new device yet. the isathub service launched 1Aug 2104.
(seems that it has to connect to the
narrow beam satellite for small antennas-)
quick look at prices and the Iridium Go is 800 the cost of the Isathub is 1200.
But the data plan of the iridium -unlimited data - beats the inmarsat data plan costings -
checking the plans and comparing costs;
ref;
http://groundcontrol.com/one-touch-flyaway_001.htm
iridium Go charges in data minutes at 2.4kbit/sec. (150min for ~$100 is 150min * (2.4kbit/sec*60sec or 144kb/min). Which is 150min * 144kb/min = 21.6Mbit. Which is (/8 for bits to Bytes) = 2.7MByte
Which is $100/2.7= $37/MByte
inmarsat isathub charges in MBytes - 25MB for ~$100 = $3.89MByte
seems outrageous -
iridium charging $37/MB and inmarsat charging $3.89MB. (also iridium Go-a data minute is 45c/min. At 2.4kbit/sec data rate is 144kb/min. Which is 144/8 bytes = 18 kbytes for 45cents. ( then *1000 to convert kb to MB). 18MB for $450 or 450/8 $/MB=
$56.25/MB)
I ve double checked these figures- any corrections welcome.
iridium data speed 2.4kbit and isathub data speed 240kbit and 3G connectivity NOW. Inmarsat isathub has 100 times faster data speed and 10 times cheaper data price.
"
Narrow spot beam coverageNarrow beams are offered by the three Inmarsat-4 satellites. Narrow beams vary in size, tend to be several hundred kilometers across. The narrow beams, while much smaller than the global or regional beams, are far more numerous and hence offer the same global coverage. Narrow spot beams allow yet smaller antennas and much higher data rates. They form the backbone of Inmarsat's handheld (GSPS) and broadband services (BGAN). This coverage was introduced with the I-4 satellites. Each I-4 satellite provides around 200 narrow spot beams.Narrow spot beam coverageNarrow beams are offered by the three Inmarsat-4 satellites. Narrow beams vary in size, tend to be several hundred kilometers across. The narrow beams, while much smaller than the global or regional beams, are far more numerous and hence offer the same global coverage. Narrow spot beams allow yet smaller antennas and much higher data rates. They form the backbone of Inmarsat's handheld (GSPS) and broadband services (BGAN). This coverage was introduced with the I-4 satellites.
Each I-4 satellite provides around 200 narrow spot beams."
I contend that the new Inmarsat-5 netwrok has to connect to the isathub- when they make the device. I am sure it has not been designed/tested yet.- that is normal.
Then this product will be far superior to the Iridium Go.
At present the isathub is 3G connectivity the new I-5 will be 4G and the iridium Go is abysmal 2.4kbit/sec now and for the NEXT iridium in 2017, abysmal 2G "circuit switched data" of 64kbit/sec.
( "features such as
data transmission which were
not emphasized in the original design" ref;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iridium_satellite_constellation#Next-generation_constellation )
(Elon Musk designing his own satellite network for global internet- confirms the cost effectiveness and efficiencies of next generation satellites- compared to mobile base station towers every 10km-30km radius- around the globe.)
I reckon Elon Musk sat network will have to be
5G - >gibagabyte-
5G is being designed/tested now.