Iridium Launches Hybrid 9604 Module for Global IoT Connectivity

Built on the u-blox SARA-R5 platform, the module integrates Iridium’s Short Burst Data satellite service with LTE-M cellular and multi-constellation GNSS support. By consolidating these three distinct technologies, the company claims manufacturers can reduce board space requirements by 60 percent or more. This reduction in physical footprint simplifies RF routing and power management, addressing key bottlenecks in industrial, maritime, and infrastructure-focused hardware design.

Tim Last, executive vice president at Iridium, noted that the platform is intended to make global IoT more accessible by moving away from multi-component assemblies. Early adopters, including GPSOne, have utilized the module to create asset tracking systems that maintain functionality regardless of terrestrial network availability. Measuring 16 mm x 26 mm x 2.4 mm, the 9604 supports GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and BeiDou, offering developers independent control over each connectivity subsystem to implement specific failover and routing strategies.