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Iridium GO! Troubleshooting

Monique
  • Updated

Introduction

This article will detail the steps of troubleshooting your Iridium GO! device depending on the issue you are experiencing.

Scroll down to the heading pertaining to your issue and follow all steps indicated.

If you are still unable to resolve the issue, or require further assistance, please reach out to our support team. 

 

Power On Issues

  1. Did you press and hold the power button (at the top of the device) for a minimum of three seconds to power on the device or by raising the antenna?
  2. Is the battery charged? Charge the battery for 4-5 hours and then try powering it on again.
  3. Does the device power on, only when connected to the charger? The battery might be faulty, especially if old.
  4. Is the battery properly fitted, and are the gold battery contacts clean and dry? Iridium GO! - Installing the Battery
  5. Do you have a spare battery that you can test in the device? Does it power on with the spare fully charged?

Battery & Charging Issues

  1. Is the charger properly connected to the device? Are its contacts clean and dry? Check the charger for any damage.
  2. Is the device hot/warm or normal temperature? Check the battery temperature. If it is warm, let it cool before charging. The battery will automatically stop charging in very low or high temperatures (Standard Li-Ion charging range between 0°C to 45°C battery temperature).
  3. Are you using the AC wall charger to charge the device? Try charging using a DC (Car Charger), or the supplied USB cable to connect to a USB port of your PC, laptop or USB hub. Iridium GO! - Charging the battery
  4. Is it an old battery? Battery performance declines after several years of use. Do you have a spare battery? If not, you may need to replace the battery with a new one.
  5. Is there any noticeable damage to the battery? Or is there any water damage to the device? 

Battery Drain/Battery Performance Issues

  1. Are you in an area of variable coverage? When the device is searching for satellites it uses extra battery power.
  2. Do you have a clear unobstructed view of the sky? This helps use less battery power.
  3. Is it a new battery? A new battery needs 2 to 3 charge/discharge cycles to attain normal performance. You may also need to leave it to charge overnight. 
  4. Is it an old battery? Battery performance declines after several years of use. Replace the battery.
  5. Is it a battery that hasn’t been completely discharged? Allow the battery to fully discharge (until the phone turns itself off) and then charge the battery overnight.
  6. Are you using the device in extreme temperatures? At extreme hot or cold temperatures, battery performance is significantly reduced. Never expose batteries to temperatures below 0°C (32°F) or above 45°C (113°F) when charging.

SIM Card Issues

  1. Is the SIM card correctly inserted in the device? The cut-off/slanted edge should line up perfectly in the slot. Iridium GO! - Inserting the SIM card
  2. Is the SIM card clean? The contacts of the SIM card may be dirty. Turn the device off, remove the SIM card and rub the contacts with a clean cloth. Re-insert the card into the device.
  3. Is the card visibly damaged or scratched? SIM cards are typically durable but if accidentally damaged, you may need a new SIM card. 
  4. When you inserted the SIM card, and closed the SIM tray, did it lock into place (usually a "click" sound is heard).Check to make sure the SIM is correctly inserted and locked into place.
  5. Is the SIM card you are using active? You can check the "Manage Prepaid Refill" section of your account (for GO! prepaid cards) or "Airtime Plans" (for GO! monthly plans) to see what services are active, if you know the satellite phone number assigned to the specific SIM ICCID. 

GO! Network & GO! App Issues

  1. Where is the the GO! device? Ensure it is an area with an open view of the sky and no obstructions close by. Trees, buildings, vehicles (including vessels such as boats) can act as forms of obstruction/interference, with a range of approximately 30 meters (100 feet) depending on conditions. Iridium GO! - How to Use the Iridium GO! Video
  2. Is the swivel antenna fully raised? Raise the antenna and ensue it points upright towards the sky directly above in order to receive a signal.
  3. Have you installed the free Iridium GO! App from Google Play or the App Store? Iridium GO! - Installing the Iridium GO! App for Android and iOS
  4. Is the GO! device paired correctly with your smartphone? Iridium GO! - iPhone/ iPad will not connect to the Iridium GO!
  5. Is the smartphone in Airplane mode? Ensure Wi-Fi and Airplane mode are both enabled. Bluetooth and cellular data should be off. 
  6. Did you set a password for the Iridium GO! network? By default, the Iridium GO! Wi-Fi is an open (visible) network with no password. If you configured the Iridium GO! Wi-Fi with a WPA2 password, you will need to enter this password to connect. If you do not remember what the password is, you may need to reset the GO! to factory defaults to connect: Iridium GO! - Cannot Connect to WiFi
  7. Uninstall the Iridium GO! App, restart the device and reinstall the application. Sign in again. Please note: you will need to reconnect to your Wi-Fi or cellular data to re-install the app, then re-connect to the GO! network to sign in.
  8. Is there any noticeable damage to the antenna? Or is there any water damage? If not, complete a factory reset to defaults to attempt to resolve the network issues. Iridium GO! - Cannot Connect to WiFi
  9. IMPORTANT: If you previously changed the default password/username from "guest", this could be the reason you are experiencing network/log-in issues. The recommended fix is to reset the GO! to default settings and then log in using the "guest" as the password and username. Factory Resetting the Iridium GO!

GPS/Tracking Issues

  1. Where is the the GO! device? Ensure it is an area with an open view of the sky and no obstructions close by. Trees, buildings, vehicles (including vessels such as boats) can act as forms of obstruction/interference. Iridium GO! - How to Use the Iridium GO! Video
  2. Is the swivel antenna fully raised? Raise the antenna and ensue it points upright towards the sky directly above in order to receive a signal.
  3. Is an external antenna being used? The external antenna cannot get GPS locations, only the device itself. There is no external antenna for the Iridium GO! that will boost the GPS signal. Note: GPS is less sensitive to obstruction than Iridium signals. IE: You might still get GPS within a boat cabin, it just might not be very accurate or fast. For best GPS results, place the unit in an area with open sky. GPS can still be acquired with an external antenna attached.
  4. On the GO! device, try setting the Power Mode to 'GPS – On'. The default is 'GPS On Demand'. Registration can be delayed if set to 'GPS On Demand'. To change this, on the GO! device use the two buttons below the screen to navigate to: Power Mode > Set GPS. NOTE: 'On Demand' setting only enables GPS when sending Tracking messages or during an SOS. The 'On' setting will set the GPS antenna to always active, which will result in increased battery usage. 
  5. Is there any noticeable damage to the antenna? Or is there any water damage? If not, complete a factory reset to defaults to attempt to resolve the GPS issues. Factory Resetting the Iridium GO!

Outbound Call/Text Messaging Issues 

  1. Is the antenna raised and do you have a clear unobstructed view of the sky?
  2. What is the device's signal strength? Check the signal strength indicator in the upper left corner of the screen. If the signal is weak, ensure that you have a clear line of sight to the sky and there are no buildings, trees, or other objects interfering. We need 2-3 bars of solid signal to complete a call.
  3. Have you installed the Iridium GO! App to your smartphone? Iridium GO! - Installing the Iridium GO! App for Android and iOS
  4. How many persons are connected to the GO! network and signed into the app? Up to 5 users can concurrently send messages (Tracking and SMS), but only one active call (voice or internet) can occur at the same time.
  5. Have you enabled the permission for the GO! app to use your device's audio? Iridium GO! - Can't Be Heard in Iridium GO! iOS app (iOS Microphone Permission)
  6. Are you using the correct dialing pattern to make calls? Ensure you use the 00 or + prefix before the country code. 
  7. The cellphone that you are calling or texting, are they able to receive calls/texts from international/satellite phone numbers? Have them check with the cell service provider to confirm if there are any restrictions. (Country codes: 881 Iridium, 870 Inmarsat)
  8. Is the messaging service center number correctly stored? You must ensure that 00881662900005 is saved in Messages > Settings >Service Centre to be able to send text messages. 
  9. Uninstall the Iridium GO! App, restart the smart device and reinstall the application. Re-connect to the GO unit's WIFI and sign into the app again (Default ID/password = guest).
    IMPORTANT: You will need access to the internet to reinstall the app via Wi-Fi or cellular data.
  10. Clear App Data and Disable Captain/Crew dialing: Iridium GO! - Cannot Place an Outgoing Call

Inbound Call/Text Messaging Issues 

  1. Is the antenna fully extended and correctly angled? Do you have a clear unobstructed view of the sky?
  2. Is the GO! device powered on? You won't be able to receive calls unless the device is on and connected to the Iridium network.
  3. Have you installed the Iridium GO! App to your smartphone? Iridium GO! - Installing the Iridium GO! App for Android and iOS
  4. How many persons are connected to the GO! network and signed into the app? Up to 5 users can concurrently send messages (Tracking and SMS), but only one active call (voice or internet) can occur at the same time.
  5. Does the caller/texter (the cellphone / landline) have any restrictions on calling or texting satellite devices or international numbers? Have them check with their cell service providers.
  6. Is the caller/texter using the correct dialing pattern to call the satellite device? Have they included the 00 or + prefix in front of the 8816 satellite phone number? Note: Some landlines and mobile providers might require a 'country exit-code' instead of +/00. IE; From a US/Canada landline phone, dial: 011 8816 XXX XXXXX
  7. Is the caller dialing a dedicated US+1 assigned phone number? Confirm that they are dialing the correct number. NOTE: Dedicated US +1 numbers cannot receive SMS. The 8816 satellite number must be used. 
  8. Is the caller using 2 stage dialing? Confirm that they are dialing 1-480-768-2500, and when prompted, they are entering your correct satellite phone number. How do I call using Iridium two stage dialing?
  9. Is the messaging service center number correctly stored? Connect to the GO! unit's WIFI > Login to the Iridium GO! app > Settings > Message > set Service Center number to 00881662900005 > Save.
  10. Can you receive text messages in the GO! app when sent from the Iridium Messaging website successfully? Send a test message to your 8816 satellite phone number: Iridium Messaging
  11. Uninstall the Iridium GO! App, restart the smart device and reinstall the application. Re-connect to the GO unit's WIFI and sign into the app again (Default ID/password = guest).
    IMPORTANT: You will need access to the internet to reinstall the app via Wi-Fi or cellular data.
  12. SMS messages are only received when the satellite constellation knows where you are. Place a call to the Iridium Test number immediately after the device shows Registered on the network. This will ensure the device is seen on the network and any pending messages will be received. Iridium Test number: +1-480-752-5105

GO! Mail App Issues

  1. Have you installed the supported free Iridium GO! Mail App from the App Store or Google Play Store to the device that is connected to the GO! network?
  2. Have you registered for an Iridium Mail Account? You must register here https://www.iridium.com/mailandweb to be able to use the application. 
  3. Are you signing into the GO! Mail and Web App with the correct username and password? This information would have been sent to you via your personal email address you registered with. To reset the password, visit https://www.iridium.com/mailandweb/password-retrieval/
  4. When was the last time you used the GO! Mail and Web application? If your account is inactive for 12 months the email address is removed from the Iridium email server and you will need to register again.
  5. Are you trying to access web browsing or social media? Web browsing, Facebook and Twitter are no longer supported by Iridium for the GO! device and service.
  6. Where are you using the device? Check the signal strength on the Iridium GO! LCD is at 5 bars at all times. Normally you will need to leave the marina where yacht masts and buildings can obstruct the view of the Iridium Satellites.
  7. Are you able to receive emails? Iridium GO! - Receiving E-Mail with the Iridium Mail and Web App for iOS or Iridium GO! - Receiving E-Mail with the Iridium Mail and Web App for Android
  8. Are you able to send emails? Iridium GO! - Sending E-Mail with the Iridium Mail and Web App for iOS or Iridium GO! - Sending E-Mail using the Iridium Mail and Web App for Android
  9. Uninstall the Iridium GO! Mail & Web App, restart the smart device and reinstall the application. Sign into the app again. Please note: When you uninstall the Iridium Mail & Web App all emails currently in the app are deleted and cannot be retrieved. You should save/ screenshot any important emails before uninstalling the app. IMPORTANT: You will need access to the internet to reinstall the app via Wi-Fi or cellular data.
  10. Clear the Cache and Storage data of both the GO! App and the Iridium Web and Mail App, and then power cycle the GO! unit and smartphone.

  11. Reset the Iridium GO and try signing into the GO! App and GO! Mail & Web App again. Factory Resetting the Iridium GO!

GO! Weather Issues

  1. Have you installed the supported free Iridium GO! Mail App from the App Store or Google Play Store to the device that is connected to the GO! network?
  2. Are you correctly completing the necessary steps to configure, access and download the weather information? Iridium GO! - Iridium Mail and Web App Weather Forecasts
  3. Are you using the third-party application PredictWind Offshore? For this application, you will need to register for an account with PredictWind and sign in with that email and password, not the Iridium Web & Mail username and password. Iridium GO! - PredictWind App
  4. Uninstall the Iridium GO! Mail & Web App, restart the smart device and reinstall the application. Sign into the app again. Please note: When you uninstall the Iridium Mail & Web App all emails currently in the app are deleted and cannot be retrieved. You should save/ screenshot any important emails before uninstalling the app. IMPORTANT: You will need access to the internet to reinstall the app via Wi-Fi or cellular data.

Voicemail Issues

  1. Is the SIM card you are using active? You can check the "Manage Prepaid Refill" section of your account (for GO! prepaid cards) or "Airtime Plans" (for GO! monthly plans) to see what services are active, if you know the satellite phone number assigned to the specific SIM ICCID. 
  2. Is the default voicemail number stored in Voicemail settings? You must store the voicemail service center number +881662990000 before you can access the service.
    Iridium GO! App > Settings > Call > Voicemail number > enter +881662990000 > Save
  3. Are you entering the correct password to access your Voicemail? By default, the password is the last 7 digits of your satellite phone number. 

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