In our experience, the GO exec is a far better product, being 40X faster than the GO! unit and easier to use. Although the GO exec hardware is more expensive, it is worth the extra cost. Setting up either the GO! or GO exec with the Datahub, enabling all the features and learning how to use either will take time, so please plan ahead.
Key points of difference between the GO exec and the Iridium GO!
The GO exec offers up to 40X the data download speed (88kbps vs 2.4kbps).
The additional speed of the GO exec makes it possible to use Apps such as WhatsApp, post on social media, check your banking App and send pictures to friends and family. The slower speed of the GO! means that most of these tasks are not possible.
The GO exec has an IP internet connection, allowing devices and Apps instant internet connectivity.
The GO exec has far superior voice quality, almost the same as a regular mobile phone with a little delay.
Airtime costs are similar:
The most common GO! unit Plan is the GO! Unlimited, which is US$154.95/month.
The GO exec Unlimited PredictWind Data plan is US$169.95/month and includes unlimited:
PredictMail, including attachments (images resampled to 50KB)
PredictChat for WhatsApp and SMS connectivity
Offshore App GRIB downloads are capped at a 1.5MB limit/per download and a 4MB limit/per day.
GPS Tracking hourly updates
GPS tracking blog updates, including text and images
Anchor Alert App connectivity (coming soon)
Polar Updates
Broadcast AIS Data
Prepay AnyApp data to browse the web, use WhatsApp or other Apps
For the GO exec, there is no need to keep/buy spare SIM cards, and there is no US$250 Iridium activation fee that comes with the old GO! SIM cards.
The GO exec does not come with inbuilt GPS tracking; however, PredictWind offers the DataHub for this, which is by far the best GPS tracking device, with an N2K interface to get the GPS data from your instrumentation system.
This GPS data is far more accurate than using the GPS data from the GO! GPS internal GPS, which, when installed below decks, can have large inaccuracies and often be unreliable. In addition, the DataHub allows friends and family to see your wind speed and direction in real-time from your instrumentation.
What the Iridium GO! has that the GO exec does not have
GO exec does not have GPS tracking capability. PredictWind offers the DataHub as a device to complement the GO exec for this. The DataHub enables GPS tracking continuously through any available Internet connection, e.g. Starlink, Wi-Fi hotspot and USB tethering, and the GO exec.
GO exec does not have SMS messaging capability built into the device or the Iridium GO exec App. The GO exec has Internet Web/App profiles that offer WhatsApp for text messaging. PredictWind also offers PredictChat as part of a PredictMail subscription. PredictChat enables SMS and WhatsApp connectivity through the GO exec via the DataHub.
Comparison chart Iridium GO! and GO exec
Please click on the image to view full screen on the GO exec webpage. It is around 2/3rds of the way down the page.
