Cambridge Consultants to help develop next-generation terminal equipment for Iridium Satellite

May 9, 2005 -- Cambridge Consultants announces that Iridium Satellite LLC has appointed the company as a strategic wireless technology development consultant. In this role, Cambridge Consultants will help Iridium evolve the design of its ground-based terminal equipment. The consultancy has assembled a multi-disciplinary engineering team with expertise in satellite communications to work on the multi-million dollar program.

Specifically, Cambridge Consultants is developing next-generation radio frequency (RF) hardware and software to enhance the functionality of Iridium terminals. The focus will be on moving much of the radio functionality into the digital domain using advanced digital signal processing (DSP) techniques. This will provide Iridium with greater performance and flexibility.

Cambridge Consultants is also adding new features to Iridium’s advanced packet-based data communications capability. These will extend the performance of the Iridium network in application areas such as supply chain management and remote monitoring. The new capabilities will appear on Iridium’s forthcoming '9600' data modem.

The selection of Cambridge Consultants follows a successful 14-month Iridium development project that the design consultancy recently completed. Cambridge Consultants updated elements of the Iridium handset's RF, analog and digital circuitry, and provided a foundation for future enhancements. While updating the Iridium handset, Cambridge Consultants also took the opportunity to improve performance, including delivering significant power savings to extend talk time.

"We are tremendously excited to be working with Iridium to assist in the creation of their next-generation products," said Richard Traherne, manager of Cambridge Consultants' wireless business unit. "The Iridium system is an engineering marvel that our team has found extremely fulfilling to work on. The network has unique attributes that we look forward to leveraging for Iridium in the form of compelling new products."

This appointment recognises Cambridge Consultants' extensive track record in wireless design, and its outstanding work to date on the RF and core circuitry in Iridium handsets. The Cambridge Consultants wireless team has experience at all levels of radio technology from developing ICs and silicon IP including digital signal processors, through the design of mainstream wireless products such as mobile phone handsets, to high-end professional radio applications. Its expertise embraces many other major wireless standards including GSM, WiMAX, Wi-Fi, DECT, Bluetooth and ZigBee.

About Iridium Satellite.

Iridium Satellite LLC (www.iridium.com) is the only provider of truly global satellite voice and data solutions with complete coverage of the earth (including oceans, airways and Polar Regions). Iridium delivers essential communications services to and from remote areas where no other form of communication is available. Iridium makes this possible through its constellation of 66 low-earth orbiting (LEO), cross-linked satellites and 12 in-orbit spares. The Iridium service is ideally suited for industries such as maritime, aviation, government/military, emergency/humanitarian services, mining, forestry, oil and gas, heavy equipment, transportation and utilities. Iridium provides service to the US Department of Defense, and sells equipment and services through 44 service providers. In addition, 36 value-added manufacturers, 28 value-added resellers and three value-added developers design, build and sell Iridium-based products and solutions.

About Cambridge Consultants.

Cambridge Consultants has for over 40 years enabled its clients to turn business opportunities into commercial successes, whether launching first-to-market products, entering new markets or expanding existing markets through the introduction of new technologies. With a team of over 200 engineers, scientists and consultants in offices in Cambridge (UK) and Boston (USA), it is able to offer solutions across a diverse range of industries including healthcare, industrial and consumer products, automotive, transport, energy and wireless communications.

Cambridge Consultants will be exhibiting on stand 411 at Wireless Connectivity World in London on May 24 – 25.