Iridium Extreme - Text Entry

Many menu screens on your Iridium Extreme® include fields where you can enter names, numbers, or short messages. Text is entered using the keypad in Multi-tap mode, sometimes called the Traditional Method.

In this mode, each key represents a set of letters and numbers. For example, pressing the 2 key cycles through A, B, C, and 2.

Tip: Multi-tap is the default text entry setting. If it’s been changed, you can re-enable it anytime from the menu.

Enabling Multi-tap Mode

1. Press the Menu soft key.

2. Select Setup.

3. In the Setup menu, select Language.

4. In the Language menu, choose Text Entry.

5. Select Multi-tap as your input method.

Once selected, you can enter text in any field that allows typing (for example, Contacts or Messages).

How Multi-tap Works

• Press a key repeatedly until the desired character appears.

• Pause briefly to move to the next character.

• The phone automatically advances the cursor after a short delay.

Use the Right Soft Key to delete a character or exit the field. Example: To type “HELLO,” press:
4 (H) → 3 (E) → 5 (L) twice → pause → 6 (O)

Keypad Characters

Tip: The active character mode (for example, ABC, abc, or 123) appears at the top of the display while typing.

Entering Punctuation and Symbols

To insert punctuation marks or special symbols:

1. Press the * key to open the symbols menu.

2. Use the Navi-key to scroll through available symbols.

3. Press the Left Soft Key to Select the symbol and return to your text.

Alternatively, while composing a text message, you can access symbols from the Options menu.

Best Practices

• Pause briefly between letters to avoid repeating the same key’s characters.

• If two consecutive letters use the same key (for example, GOOD), wait for the cursor to move before pressing the key again.

• Use the # key to quickly switch between capital letters, lowercase, or numbers.

• When entering long names or notes, save your work frequently to avoid losing unsent text.