GSE Blog 

With the ongoing trend of ever increasing intensity of severe weather in 2022, FEMA and NOAA urge all to prepare early even though the official start of hurricane season is June 1. All local governments located along the US coastline and the Caribbean in general are encouraged to be as prepared as possible.

Quick Access for Emergency Backup Communications

Severe weather is typically seasonal. Often, Satellite phones are rarely used, as they are set aside specifically for when cell towers are down, and/or personnel are dispatched into a remote area. Satellite phones are usually maintained by a designated person. Where there is employee turnover or position transfers, Satellite phones are often forgotten, being stored somewhere special, and usually left uncharged, which can cause dangerous delays during critical times when communication is necessary.

When chaos hits, a fixed terminal is easy to locate and offers assurance to access emergency back-up communication quickly should landlines or cellular networks be damaged or unavailable.
In continuing to deliver the latest high quality technology that provides the satellite industry with the most competitive value in the market, GSE developed a single-channel Iridium-based PBX that operates anywhere in the world as a telephone, internet portal, GPS, and SMS device all in one package. The MCG-101 was designed as an intelligent PBX solution built around the Iridium 9523 modem. The core of the MCG-101 is a powerful processor with a complete PBX capable of dynamic call functions, and easy customization via a web interface.

Compact and Easy to Install

Weighing only 2 lbs with external dimensions of 1.15” x 4.25” x 6.1”, the MCG-101 is significantly smaller than other Iridium-based PBX type terminals, requiring less space.

Installing the unit only requires power, a SIM card, and an external Iridium antenna of choice. Activating the full PBX capabilities allows you to run an entire office, and run your custom software as well.

The updated MCG-101 series also supports IP to SBD functionality. This allows easy transmission and reception of small binary payloads between devices connected to the MCG-101 and internet services, such as IoT applications, other remote terminals, sensors, etc. There are a number of interfaces available including TCP, UDP, and SMB.

For voice calls, you can utilize any Android/iPhone, dedicated wifi handsets such as the Grandstream DP722, or ethernet based FXS devices such as the Cisco SPA2102 or Grandstream HT801.
You can also create an office like environment with multiple voice/SIP users and extensions, by simply changing the username in the SIP settings. By default, there are 10 extensions, but you can add more to suit your needs. You simply assign the second, third, etc. phone with a unique extension per phone.

Seamless PBX functionality over the Iridium Satellite Constellation

For an office installation, this means that if your standard communication infrastructure fails, you can switch over to dialing and receiving calls over the Iridium Network using the MCG-101 and its built in IP PBX and manage the call routing and features that can be customized via the web management console.

The MCG-101 utilizes 100% digital technology providing clear, true to life audio, and eliminating internal echo problems. The system includes a standard analogue telephone RJ11 interface with a hardware echo canceler so communication has the clarity as if you were on a landline.

Innovation/Revolutionary Differentiator

The MCG-101 is the world’s first fully contained satellite phone terminal to provide satellite voice, data, and GPS tracking via WiFi to smartphones and tablets. The MCG-101 provides the access of the Iridium satellite network to devices such as smartphones, tablets, and computers from anywhere on the globe. It is VoIP voice calls, data, and tracking all in one:

• Satellite calls can be made from an iPhone or Android device
• Send and receive email
• Activate full PBX Functionality
• Activate Remote GPS Tracking

The MCG-101 was designed to offer powerful and versatile Iridium communications to remote locations, aircraft, maritime, and offices. The system can be used in a number of customized scenarios for both stationary and mobile needs, from enabling remote command posts, providing redundant communications infrastructure for operations bases, activating full PBX solutions for offices, to enabling voice and data communications within vehicles or vessels, regardless of proximity to standard systems and telecom towers.