Why buy Iridium GO! from PredictWind?

• Best pricing on the web for the complete marine package including the antenna & cable.
• The best support in the industry – we support both the Iridium GO! & PredictWind forecast downloads.
• Customized GPS tracking website with the PredictWind Standard & Professional Package.  Note; If you have Iridium GO airtime with another provider (not PredictWind) you will require the Professional level for GPS tracking.
• The best quality antenna & cable on the market with the Genuine Iridium Antenna Kit. These components are critical for a good data connection.
• Competitive data plans – we recommend the Unlimited Plan which has 150 free minutes of outgoing calls to landlines or cell phones per month, plus unlimited SMS and data.
• Full billing control – alerts & optional limits for low cost plans.
• Ability to monitor data & voice usage.
• Pro-rated Billing – if SIM Card is activated part way through the month.
• Upgrade/Downgrade plans during the month no need to wait until the end of the month

What Monthly Airtime Plans do you offer?

We offer the GO Plus and the GO Unlimited plans. Please see the comparison table above. These plans have been selected as the best value for money. They have unlimited SMS messaging which is necessary for GPS tracking.

What is the contract length with the Iridium GO! data plans?

There is no long-term contract. All Airtime plans are monthly. Each month auto renews on the 1st of the month unless you cancel the plan via the PredictWind Satellite Portal . You cannot cancel the plan in the same month that you activate.

Is there a re-connection fee with the Iridium GO! plans?

Yes, you can disconnect the service at any time. The billing cycle is from the 1st of the month. Iridium charges a US$250 for re-connecting a used sim card so we do not offer this option. The most popular option is to request a new Iridium SIM card which costs US$10. For this reason, we recommend purchasing an additional SIM cards when purchasing the equipment. You can also change Iridium GO! plans month to month, and step down to the GO Basic Plan at US$69.95/month when only needing the service as a backup or to hold your account open. Please note there is a US$49.95 activation fee on any new sim.

What is the best plan for making voice calls?

We recommend the GO Unlimited plan which includes 150 minutes of Voice Calls for free. After this allowance voice calls are US$1.29 to a Land Line and Cellular Phones.

Can the Iridium GO! be used away from the boat?

Yes, the main unit can be disconnected in seconds and put in a “grab bag” for emergency situations. The internal battery will give you 7 hours of talk time & 16 hours standby. The unit is also ideal for taking to remote places inland, and with the SOS Alert button, help is not far away!

Does the Marine Package include my weather services from PredictWind?

No, the weather services are separate to your satellite airtime connection. You will need the Standard or Professional PredictWind Weather Package, to get weather data via your Iridium Go satellite connection.

Can I change a Plan?

You can change your plan anytime during the month, the change will take effect immediately. You will be charged any overages that are due on the existing plan at the end of the month. The monthly charge on the new plan will be prorated and paid immediately. You may only change the plan once per month.

Can I use the Web functions to browse the internet?

The ‘Iridium Mail & Web’ app allows you to view text-only web pages using the XWeb web browser. It should be noted iOS 14.4 and above or Android 10 and above no longer works with XWeb. Most websites are now running Https instead of Http, these changes have had implications for the usability of XWeb.

Can I use a PredictWind SIM card in my second-hand unit?

Yes, you can use PredictWind SIM cards in any Iridium GO! unit regardless of where the unit was originally purchased. Using a PredictWind SIM card means you can activate it with one of our Iridium GO airtime plans, utilize our GPS tracking functions (GPS tracking also requires a Standard or Professional PredictWind Forecast Subscription) and access our support team to assist with setting up the unit and software.
It is not possible to activate SIM cards in our system that were not purchased from PredictWind as they are provider-specific.

Why upgrade your existing Satellite Phone?

Minimal hardware cost to sell old Sat phone and upgrade to Iridium GO! Take advantage of the massive savings with the UNLIMITED data plans – ONLY available with Iridium GO!

Can I install the Iridium GO! myself?

Most definitely! This is one of the advantages of Iridium GO! over a Satellite Phone solution.

Is the external antenna necessary?

All boat installations require an external antenna, as any degradation of the signal results in dramatically lower data speeds.

The Iridium GO! unit does not have an external antenna for the GPS signal. The external antenna is for the Iridium satellite system, not GPS tracking and positioning.

This is not a problem in most boats, as the GPS signal sent from the Iridium Go unit will penetrate the hull, deck and windows. However, it will be an issue on an alloy, steel or carbon boat. In this instance, we recommend purchasing a YB3i Tracking System from PredictWind.

What is the external antenna size, and how does it mount?

The external antenna mounts directly on rail 1”-14NF using a rail mount. The unit has a diameter 95 mm & height 188 mm & weighs 0.30 kg.

Can I use any App/Software with the Iridium GO?

Only Iridium GO! certified Apps can be used with Iridium GO! This includes the, Iridium GO! App, Iridium Mail App, and the PredictWind Offshore App (Windows/Mac/iPad/iPhone/Android Tablet or Phone).

What is the Data Speed?

The data speed is 2.4 Kbits/s. This is the same data speed as all other Iridium & Inmarsat Satellite phone services. At this data speed, the Iridium GO! is best suited for email and downloading weather data with the PredictWind Offshore App. The data speed is too slow for general web browsing.

How long does the Iridium GO! take to setup?

The physical installation is straightforward, however setting up the Iridium GO App, Iridium Mail App and Offshore App does take some time. Conservatively you should allow 1-3 days depending on your technical ability. In addition it is a good idea to have the unit setup 1 month prior to departure so you can become familiar with the features of the Apps. Once setup, the features are easy to use. To setup the Iridium GO you will need access to a high speed internet connection to download the Apps and watch the video tutorials.

Does the price include sales tax?

If the delivery address is outside the USA, Germany, Australia or New Zealand, then additional import duties and sales tax will be charged before delivery. These charges are payable to the country’s customs authorities and not associated with PredictWind. For the airtime plans, depending on your location, local taxes may apply, and this is added during the activation checkout process. PredictWind is required to collect your IP address (to know your location), the Credit Card Country of issue and the Billing address you have entered. If you change your location whilst using the service, you can log in to the Satellite Portal and change your Billing address, which will calculate the new tax rate.

Can I Cancel a Plan?

Plans can be cancelled at any stage during the month except during the first month as you cannot activate a plan and cancel a plan in the same calendar month. The cancellation will happen immediately. No refunds are applied to the existing plan.

US Local Satellite Phone Number

You can add a local USA phone number to your Iridium service for an additional $10 per month. This can be useful for friends & family to dial a cheaper local number, but please be aware that incoming calls dialed to this local number will be billed to your satellite airtime account at $1.69 per minute.

Note: Most customers do not select this local phone number option. The local +1 number is for voice calling only. It is not possible to SMS the local +1 number. Friends & family can easily send you an SMS for free at https://messaging.iridium.com/, so that you can phone out using your free bundled minutes. The Unlimited plan has 150 bundled minutes for free outgoing voice calls.

What is the warranty period for an Iridium GO and can I get an advanced warranty?

The Iridium GO and accessories come with a 1-year Iridium factory warranty from the date of purchase, and the turnaround time for a warranty replacement can be 6-8 weeks. We highly recommend that you upgrade the standard warranty to the PAW (PredictWind Advanced Warranty) for US$99 when activating the SIM card to ensure a fast warranty replacement, within 5-7 working days. If you purchase the PAW, in the event of a diagnosed fault, a replacement unit will be shipped immediately. We simply need confirmation that the faulty unit has been returned to our repair centre in the USA or UK. Iridium and PAW warranty states that you must ship the unit back at your expense. The PAW is only available to Iridium GO units within one year from the purchase date.