Critical: The SOS button will not work on your Iridium GO exec until you set it up.
The SOS button on the Iridium GO exec has no default configuration. You must set this up before you head offshore. If it is not set up correctly and you have an emergency, when you press the SOS button nothing will happen and no one will be notified.
Set up is easy. Please allow 10 minutes to read this article thoroughly and complete the SOS setup on your device.
How to find the SOS button and initiate an SOS
The Iridium GO exec offers three ways to initiate an SOS:
Press the physical, red-coloured SOS button on the device.
Tap the SOS menu on the device's touchscreen then long press the SOS button.
Tap and hold the SOS button in the Iridium GO exec App on your mobile device when it is connected via Wi-Fi either directly or through a DataHub.
Note: The operation of the SOS button feature is limited by any conditions affecting the Iridium, its GPS signal strength and GPS service availability. The use of the SOS feature will impact calls in progress.
IERCC Safety Services
To support the SOS feature, Iridium has contracted with IERCC Travel Safety Group to provide an emergency response coordination service for your Iridium GO exec at no additional charge. These SOS services are offered and provided exclusively by IERCC and not by Iridium, which is a separate, unrelated company.
Standard airtime charges will apply to SOS calls to the IERCC; a valid Iridium SIM subscription and online registration at https://ierccregister.inreachapp.com/ are required. Please click here to review the privacy policy and terms of use before using this service as these are the terms that will govern your relationship with IERCC.
Set up the SOS function with IERCC
Each time you power up the Iridium GO exec until it is configured, you will be prompted to set up the SOS function. Please do this using the Iridium GO exec App whilst at home or where you have access to high-speed internet and a computer or smart device.
The SOS function can be set up to use the IERCC Safety Service or call a designated contact. PredictWind strongly recommends you register and use the IERCC Safety Service, owned by Garmin. It is staffed 24/7 with dedicated and trained operators who can coordinate with emergency responders in more than 200 countries and territories.
To decline the IERCC service and configure a designated personal emergency contact instead, please refer to page 34 of the Iridium GO exec manual.
To use the IERCC service
Register your device with IERCC from a web browser on your computer or smart device.
Note: To register, you will need your Iridium line 1 phone number and Iridium GO exec IMEI. These can be found by using the App when connected through Wi-Fi to the device. To find these:
Tap the Settings wheel
Under the Basic heading tap Device Settings.
Under Admin Settings tap Admin Settings.
Swipe down and tap Device Info.
When entering your details on the registration page, it will ask for your personal details and emergency contacts.
Upon completing registration IERCC will provide a 5-digit authorization code. To add this to your device through the App:
Tap the Settings wheel.
Under the Basic heading tap Device Settings.
Under the Admin Settings heading tap Admin Settings.
Swipe down and under the SOS heading tap SOS Settings.
Enter authorization code then on iOS tap Save, or, on Android tap the checkmark in the top right corner. Tap Save again on the Admin page.
If successful, your SOS settings will save to the device and the SOS action will be set to Call for the IERCC service.
Important Notes: If the code has been entered incorrectly, an error will present, which does not allow you to save. It is not possible to reopen this page to check the IERCC code you have set on the device. The only way to know it has been set correctly is to power off your GO exec for 30 seconds and power it on again. If you do not see the warning to configure SOS then the IERCC code has been saved. Your IERCC code is unique to your device, so you cannot enter a code which would be valid on another device.
Testing the IERCC SOS safety service
PredictWind strongly recommends testing the SOS setting on your device. IERCC asks that all tests be scheduled at least 72 hours in advance unless otherwise approved for an earlier test time by the Operations Team.
Please visit the IERCC test information page to submit an online submission form for scheduling a test.
When the form is submitted IERCC will confirm the test via email.
For further IERCC Support please contact IERCC directly.
Notes about using SOS
To activate an SOS from the GO exec from the:
Touchscreen
Tap the SOS icon on the GO exec touchscreen to display the SOS trigger screen.
Long press and hold the SOS button for at least 3 sec. The exec will begin to play the pending countdown timer and show a 10-second countdown on the screen.
During the countdown period, the SOS event may be cancelled by pressing the blue Cancel button without alerting the designated Emergency Service Provider. If the call is unsuccessful, the user will get an option to redial (or to cancel).
When connected, use the device microphone and speaker to converse with the emergency contact.
Physical red-coloured SOS button
Press and hold the physical SOS button for at least one second.
The Device will begin to play the pending countdown timer and show the countdown on the screen.
Important Note: When triggering an SOS event via the physical SOS button, the exec can be on or off. If the Iridium GO exec is off, it will first power up and then continue to start the SOS event. When the countdown timer expires, the SOS will enter the active phase and begin dialling the designated Emergency Service Provider.
From the Iridium GO exec app
Make sure the Iridium GO exec App is connected to the Iridium GO exec Wi-Fi.
Tap SOS in the app menu bar.
Long press the red SOS button in the app for 5 seconds until the countdown timer starts.
Aborting an SOS before it is activated
To abort an SOS event without contacting your designated Emergency Service Provider tap the blue Cancel button on the touchscreen or in the App prior to the countdown timer expiring. An SOS activated using the touchscreen or physical red button can only be deactivated on the device; it cannot be deactivated using the app.
SOS Active
When an SOS event is activated the Iridium GO exec App will automatically initiate an outbound call to your designated Emergency Service Provider and show the current Latitude and Longitude. The Emergency Service Provider operator will assist you with your emergency. When they ask for your location, please tell them the Latitude and Longitude numbers shown on the screen.
You can only end the current call to the Emergency Service Provider from this screen.
Important Note: The SOS event remains active even after the call to the Emergency Service Provider is concluded or if it is disconnected. To close an active SOS event, the user must explicitly press the Cancel SOS button.
If the user is in the United States or Australia, they can also dial 911 or 000 emergency number, respectively, whether they have a valid SIM card or not.
Phone calls while SOS is active
To ensure the SOS call reaches the emergency contact, triggering an SOS voice call terminates all non-SOS voice calls in progress on line 1 and/or line 2 to allow the SOS call to get through. The SOS call uses line 1.
The user cannot initiate a new emergency call while an SOS call is in progress.
To ensure user safety, initiating an emergency call such as calling 911 or 000 shall terminate all non-emergency voice calls in progress on line 1 and/or line 2 to allow the emergency call to go through. The emergency call shall use line 1 or line 2.
Cancelling an SOS
SOS events can be cancelled from either the Iridium GO exec touchscreen or the App. The App can only cancel an SOS triggered in the App.
To cancel the SOS event, from the:
Touchscreen
The Iridium GO exec user must explicitly cancel the SOS via the Cancel button on the SOS active screen, as shown below.
Physical SOS button
Press and hold for at least one second. The Iridium GO exec will display the SOS active screen as above. The SOS can be cancelled by pressing the Cancel button.
App
Press Cancel SOS.
A message will appear "Are you sure you want to cancel SOS?", press Yes.
There are two ways the Iridium GO exec App signifies an active SOS event:
The Title bar will be displayed in red, normally it is white text on a black background.
The SOS tab in the bottom tab bar will have a red dot next to it.
Important Note: The Iridium GO exec Complete Package and Antenna Kit from PredictWind include an Iridium satellite antenna only; these do not include an external GPS antenna.
When SOS is activated, to ensure the SOS function reports a GPS latitude and longitude, if available, from the internal GPS antenna, it is critical the GNSS antenna setting is set to Internal. By default, the GO exec GNSS antenna settings is set to Auto. How to configure this is explained in Step 9: Configure the GO exec to use an external antenna.
Move on to Step 5
You are now ready to move on to Step 5: How to prevent bill shock/data overages.