Iridium has global coverage because it uses a large network of low earth orbit satellites. This assures a satellite with a high look angle can peer down into almost every deep mountain valley. If you are travelling in the polar regions, only Iridium currently offers reliable coverage.

A built-in GPS receiver in the new Iridium Extreme satellite phone provides your exact location at a glance. You can text or email your location to any address -- directly from the phone. That makes the Iridium Extreme satellite phone a powerful safety tool.

SOS button: Notify one or more of your friends via email or text that you have an emergency. The SOS message includes your GPS location. The SOS button can also simultaneously initiate a phone call or be used to call the GEOS Emergency Response Service.

Extreme weather resistance: That isn't true but the Iridium Extreme satellite phone is remarkably weather resistant and boasts an IP65 ingress rating. A very aggressive liquids test was used to establish the IP65 rating. Water jets were projected from a 6.3 mm nozzle against the phone's outer enclosure with no harmful affects during a 3-minute exposure involving 12.5 litres per minute. Outfitter Satellite also offers watertight carry cases.

Up to 3.5 hours of talk time or 30 hours of standby time are available on a single charge.

Leave a bread crumb trail: With a few quick changes to the default settings, you can configure your Iridium Extreme satellite phone to automatically transmit your GPS position at equal time intervals. This could be very helpful to rescuers trying to find you (with the clock running) if you "disappear" in the wilderness.

Diamond tread ergonomic grip makes it easy to keep hold on your phone.