Why do 9704 products need certification, and what does it cover?

A product built on an Iridium module needs Iridium Compatible Equipment (ICE) certification before it can be sold commercially. It covers the whole product, including the model, firmware, antenna, cable and intended use, not just the module. Many teams only discover this step just before production.

Why certification is required

• The satellite network is shared: a device that transmits or behaves badly affects other users of the same system. Certification letters state that Iridium can withdraw certification at any time if the equipment has an adverse impact on the system.
• The antenna and cable decide signal quality: a public certification letter names a specific antenna part number and even limits the cable loss between antenna and module (for example, under 0.15 dB). With the wrong antenna, a device keeps retrying and wastes power.
• Service and use must match: the letter ties the product to an authorised service (for example SBD), a product class and a vertical market (for example IoT).
• The partner agreement requires it: a public Iridium partner agreement states that every product, and every enhancement to a product, must be certified before commercial sale, and that sales must stop at once if certification is withdrawn.

What certification involves

Taking a public Iridium partner agreement (2012) as an example, certification includes:

• Laboratory and live testing in the intended configuration.
• Test calls run by the partner, with records kept and potential defects reported the same day.
• Product documentation and training for support and sales staff.
• Regulatory approvals in each market, with proper labelling.

Another public example: the manufacturer submitted a test plan to Iridium for approval, ran it under Iridium's oversight, and Iridium then granted certification. The actual steps, timing and cost vary with the product and the agreement.

What a certification letter states

From the public letter Iridium issued for ZOLEO:

After certification

• A material change to the product requires a new certification letter before sales can continue.
• New host firmware may also need supplementary certification, including firmware delivered over the air.
• Iridium can withdraw certification at any time if the equipment harms the system.

Why it goes through a partner

Certification letters are issued to partners under an Iridium Value-Added Reseller (VAR) agreement. Public information also shows that the bare 9704 module is supplied only to companies working closely with Iridium or its partners, and only for product development towards certification. Companies building a 9704 product usually go through this process with a partner. N3D is an authorised Iridium VAR and helps customers developing 9704 products plan and apply for ICE certification.

What to plan for during development

• Freeze the antenna, cable, enclosure and power design early; later changes may mean retesting.
• Certification and production both need test units and test modes, so leave room in the firmware.
• If the same enclosure has other radios such as Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, confirm the test scope first.
• Put certification time and cost in the schedule from day one.

ICE is not regulatory approval

Iridium's certification letters state that Iridium makes no representation about the product's quality, safety or regulatory compliance. Telecom and radio approvals in each country (for example FCC in the United States or NCC in Taiwan) are separate.