Vizada encourages its partners and end-users to "Test Your Satellite Phone" as part of Iridium's third annual initiative, which encourages emergency workers and first responders to prepare now to ensure that their satellite phones are ready to deploy.
The Test Your Satellite Phone program is timed to coincide with the U.S. National Weather Service's National Hurricane Preparedness Week May 24-30, 2009.
The Test Your Satellite Phone initiative asks all satellite phone owners to call a special number – 00-1-480-752-5105 – to test their satellite phones. Callers will hear a recorded message confirming that their call was completed and offering quick tips on proper handset usage.
Iridium does not charge its customers for air time on their satellite phone when they call this number.
As part of its support for emergency workers and first responders globally, Vizada offers a unique batch activation service for both Iridium and BGAN services. Up to 20 SIM cards can be activated within minutes for these services via Vizada's Web-based account management tool called The Source.
Using the batch activation capability Vizada service provider, Globafone of New Hampshire, was able to quickly respond to FEMA's urgent request in 2008 for a bulk order of more than 200 Iridium phones readily equipping relief workers dispatched to hurricanes in Texas.
Vizada is the only Iridium reseller that has the ability to allow for batch activations, and this capability is used extensively by Vizada service partners who last year activated nearly 500 Iridium subscribers in less than 48 hours.
Vizada also activates all Iridium subscribers with the ability to use its SkyFile Mail solution over Iridium's RUDICS platform providing first responders easy access to email while deployed.
SkyFile Mail over Iridium's RUDICS platform enhances connection quality and reduces connection time by over 50%. SkyFile Mail is a free messaging and compression tool that allows users on land or sea to send reliable and cost-effective emails, e-faxes and SMS messages on Inmarsat, Iridium and Thuraya mobile satellite terminals.
In addition to first responders and public-safety organizations, satellite phone testing is an important safety precaution for government officials, businesses, educational institutions and medical facilities – anyone needing a reliable, critical means of communication when all other forms of communication are unavailable.
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