After activation, and receiving your satellite phone number from your provider, you can use your Iridium 95xx satellite phone to make and receive calls and text messages.
Placing a call from an Iridium Handset:
Calling a North America number
- Take the phone outside to the most open area possible
- Extend and rotate the antenna so it points to the sky when against your ear
- Wait for the phone to register, “Registered” will appear on the display
- Press and hold the 0 key until the + appears
- Dial the country code, area code and phone number
- Example: + (country code)(area code/city code)(phone number)
- Example: + 1 425 XXX YYYY
Calling to another Iridium phone
- Take the phone outside to the most open area possible
- Extend and rotate the antenna so it points to the sky when against your ear
- Wait for the phone to register, “Registered” will appear on the display
- Press and hold the 0 key until the + appears followed by the 8816 number
- Example: + 8816 xxx yyyyy
Sending a text message from an Iridium Handset
- Ensure you are outside with a clear line of sight to the sky. Avoid any significant obstructions (tress, buildings, power lines)
- Extend the antenna
- Wait for the phone to register, Registered will appear on the display
- Press Menu
- Scroll to Messages, and press Select
- Select Create message, and press Select
- Enter your desired message (press the * key for special characters)
- Press Options when finished
- Select Send, and press Select
- Select New Recipient and press Add
- Select Enter Number and press Select
- Alternatively, you can also choose a contact from your contact list and press Select
- Enter the recipient number, starting with + followed by country code, area code and phone number and press OK
- Example: + 1 425 XXX YYYY
- Press Send to send your message
Receiving Incoming Calls
The land-based caller can choose one of two methods to call your satellite phone:
Direct Calling:
Calling from a landline or cellular
- To place a call to an Iridium subscriber you must have international dialing capabilities
- From a North American landline or cellular dial, 011 followed by the 8816 number
- Example: 011 8816 xxx yyyyy
The call will be billed to the caller as an International call, rates will vary depending on the caller’s phone service. Calling from a cellular phone can be VERY expensive. This type of Incoming call is free for the Iridium subscriber
Calling from an Iridium phone to an Iridium phone
- From an Iridium phone dial, + followed by the 8816 number.
- To obtain the + sign, press and hold the 0 key until the + appears
- Dial the Iridium subscriber’s phone number and press the Green button
- Example: + 8816 xxx yyyyy
2-Stage Calling:
Iridium Two-Stage Dialing is a forwarding service which allows callers trying to reach an Iridium subscriber to dial an Arizona based number instead of dialing direct. Callers will only be charged the applicable long distance charges for calling Arizona as opposed to a much higher rate of calling the Iridium phone directly.
The incoming call is billed per-minute from your Iridium plan. This type of incoming call is NOT free.
Calling an Iridium subscriber using Two-Stage Dialing
- Dial 1-480-768-2500, a North American, Arizona-based number.
- When prompted, enter the 12-digit Iridium number you wish to call starting with 8816-xxx-yyyyy.
- Example: If your Iridium number is 8816-xxx-yyyyy, callers dial 1-480-768-2500, and when prompted, enter your 12-digit Iridium number 8816-xxx-yyyyy.
Receiving Text Messages from others
From a cellular phone
- Using your cellular phone, compose a new message.
- In the recipient field, enter the full Iridium phone number starting with a + or 00.
i.e. +8816xxxyyyyy / 008816xxxyyyyy - In the message field, type in your message and press SEND.
From Iridium’s Messaging Service
- Navigate to https://messaging.iridium.com/
- Enter the full Iridium phone number in the first field, ..
- Enter your email reply address in the second field, Reply Email
- Type in your desired message in the third field, Message.
- Select the “I’m not a robot” check-box.
- Press Send Message to send your message to the Iridium subscriber.