Critical Connectivity at the Rebelle Rally – Q & A With Iridium Partner Roadpost
Iridium is the official safety and communications partner for the Rebelle Rally, the first women’s off-road navigation rally raid in the United States. Over the 10-day event in the remote California and Nevada desert, participants compete through hidden checkpoints, distance, and time, navigating through it all with only maps, a compass, and a road book. Although cell phones and GPS are prohibited, connectivity for emergencies and staff logistics remains essential. Learn more about the critical role Iridium partner Roadpost plays in supporting the Rebelle Rally in this Q&A:
This is the second straight year Roadpost has joined with Iridium in supporting the Rebelle Rally. What is it about the event that gets you excited?
The combination of pushing the limits off the grid paired with the critical role connectivity plays in ensuring the safety of the individuals competing aligns perfectly with our mission of keeping people safe and in touch wherever work or play takes them. For over 30 years, our clients have trusted us to provide access to reliable voice and data solutions when venturing beyond cellular coverage or where traditional networks are unreliable or unavailable. We’re excited to provide competitors in the rally with peace of mind knowing that they have access to reliable connectivity that is designed to perform under the tough conditions they’ll experience throughout the event.
The Rebelle Rally is the first all-women off-road navigation rally raid held in the United States, and it has a mission to “…elevate women across the globe and at home, and to make a positive impact in our communities.” What about the event’s mission resonates most with Roadpost?
At Roadpost, our purpose is to provide people with reliable voice and data connectivity when and where they need it. Supporting Rebelle Rally’s mission to elevate women by offering them reliable communication and a greater sense of personal security so they can bring their best game throughout the competition brings this purpose to life.
The Rebelle Rally runs across 2,500 kilometers of Nevada and California desert terrain. With no GPS, cell phones or anything but a map, compass, and roadbook, the Iridium® 9555 phones supplied by Roadpost are critical safety devices for the participants – what made you choose that model to support this race?
The Iridium 9555 is lightweight, easy to use, designed to perform in harsh environments and offers voice coverage everywhere. All of these features make the Iridium 9555 a perfect companion device for the women who’d be competing under challenging conditions across a vast remote terrain.
The Iridium 9555 is easy to use right out of the box. What was the learning curve like for participants who may be using a satellite phone for the first time ever?
Because the Iridium 9555 provides a very similar user experience to other phones, there should be a very slight learning curve, if any. However, there are two things to keep in mind. First, because satellite phones require a direct line of sight to the sky to connect to the Iridium satellite network, users should be aware of their surroundings and make calls from areas that are as clear and open as possible. Second, the phone requires a specific dialing pattern to make outbound calls, the user must dial the ‘+’ symbol (by pressing and holding the zero key) at the beginning of any number they dial. For example, the phone number they are calling should show as +15551231234 (versus 555-123-1234).
Would anyone from the Roadpost team want to compete in the race in the future?
There are probably a couple of ladies on our team who’d consider it but, for now, we’ll stick to supporting these incredible competitors!
Do you have anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
We’re thrilled to be partnered with Iridium in supporting the adventurous women competing in the Rebelle Rally!
To learn more about Roadpost and the Iridium 9555 Satellite Phone, visit: https://www.roadpost.com/iridium-9555-satellite-phone.html
To learn more about the Rebelle Rally, visit: www.rebellerally.com
