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IRIDIUM SBD SERVICE provides the only truly global satellite voice and data solutions on the planet.

Work or play anywhere on earth and enjoy complete coverage. This includes oceans, airways and Polar Regions.
The Iridium constellation consists of 66 low-earth orbiting (LEO), cross-linked satellites operating as a fully meshed network.
Iridium has the largest commercial satellite constellation in the world and delivers essential communications services to and from remote areas where no other form of communication is available. This is what makes the Iridium network unique.

The Iridium network provides global coverage however; Iridium complies with U.S. embargo restrictions and as such is prohibited from providing products and service to the following countries: Taliban controlled Afghanistan, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria and Sudan. Since this is beyond Iridium’s control, each country is different and regulations may change without notice; it is best to check with the local Consulate or Customs offices for current details.

The embargoed countries where a satellite phone will work in these countries (we cannot guarantee service), but there (may be) issues taking an Iridium phone into these areas at customs/border patrols: Cuba, Iran, Libya, Sudan, Angola & Yugoslavia.
You may need special government permission to bring a satellite phone into embargoed countries.

Message size for MO-SBD is between 1 and 1960 bytes (0 byte messages are referred to as "mailbox checks"). Message size for MT-SBD is between 1 and 1890 bytes.  The maximum message size depends on whether am Iridium 9601 or 9522B transceiver is used.  The 9601 has shorter message lengths, but the hardware is lower in cost and supports up to 340 bytes MO-SBD and 270 bytes MT-SBD.

Remote Applications send Mobile Originated SBD (MO-SBD) data messages via an Iridium Transceiver.  The application microcontroller or microprocessor communicates with the Transceiver using AT commands over an RS232 serial port.  The application loads the data message into the Transceiver and instructs it to send the data message.  The data message is transmitted across the Iridium satellite network to the Iridium Gateway.  From there, the data message is transferred via e-mail or an IP Socket to the customer's host computer system.  Here the message is stored in a database for further data processing.

Mobile Terminated SBD (MT-SBD) messages are sent to the Iridium Gateway via e-mail or IP Socket from the customer's host computer system.  With appropriate configuration and provisioning, the Iridium Gateway will send a 'Ring Alert' to the Transceiver when a MT-SBD message has been queued.  The Mobile Application will then decide whether to retrieve the MT-SBD data message at that time or later.

Global network transmit latency for delivery of messages ranges from approximately 5 seconds for short messages to approximately 20 seconds for maximum length messages. This latency is the elapsed time before the Iridium SBD system sends the SBD message to its e-mail destination. Additional latency introduced by the internet or the customer's host system is not in Iridium's control.