Satellite Loan Phone Program for Rural Canadian Road Users

Motorists traveling along Canada's isolated Trans-Labrador Highway are to be offered Iridium-based satellite phones to call for assistance in case of accidents or poor weather. The area has no terrestrial cellphone coverage.

The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is establishing the loan service for motorists. Roadpost of Mississauga, Ontario is supplying Iridium 9555 satellite phones and services through its dealer Newfound Mobility Solutions. Through this program, local hotel operators will offer Iridium phones as loaners to motorists traveling along the highway. The phones will be pre-programmed to direct calls to the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary, which will coordinate necessary emergency responses directly or through the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

The Trans-Labrador Highway is made up of more than 950 miles of asphalt and gravel road, with very few turnoffs or stops, in a remote region of northeastern Canada.

"We are confident that the Iridium phones will provide a more reliable and consistent performance communication lifeline, which is very important as it is the only means of communication on a long, desolate stretch of highway," said Trevor Taylor, transportation minister for the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador.

"Businesses, governments, citizens and travelers in remote locations rely on Iridium in their daily lives because they work in the large, open areas beyond the reach of terrestrial wireless phone networks," added Greg Ewert, executive vice president, global distribution channels, Iridium.

Posted to the site on 24th August 2009