International Communications Group (ICG) today announced that its ICS-200 dual-channel satellite communication terminal has successfully completed type-approval testing and has been certified to operate on the Iridium network.

The ICS-200 incorporates dual Iridium transceivers with an internal cabin telecommunications unit (CTU), providing a stand-alone, comprehensive communication system that can operate over a single coax cable and Iridium antenna. It can be connected to conventional telephony devices or legacy CTU systems through standard two-wire tip-and-ring circuits or four-wire audio connections. CTU features include intercom calling, call transfer, conferencing and follow-on dialing. The system is easy to operate, using standard dialing conventions and PABX operations with familiar call-progress dial tones.

The dual-channel system provides air-to-ground voice and data links anywhere in the world through the Iridium satellite network in a compact, lightweight package with a low-profile, low-drag antenna.

Armin Jabs, president of ICG said, "The ICS-200 is an ideal solution for aircraft requiring no more than six telephony connections, providing seamless, global air-to-ground communication without the inconveniences of hand-offs or no-service areas. It can be installed on all sizes and types of aircraft, either as the sole communication facility or as an enhancement to legacy installed systems."

Don Thoma, executive vice president of Iridium Satellite said, "Iridium works through value-added manufacturing partners such as ICG to deliver mobile satellite services to end-users in vertical industries such as the business aviation market. ICG has established an outstanding reputation in the business jet sector as a premier supplier of dependable products backed by strong technical support."

Jabs noted that ICG is the preferred OEM supplier of Iridium systems to many of the world's leading aircraft manufacturers as factory-installed equipment on new jets.