Iridium Go promises to connect you almost anywhere

• Device converts a satellite signal to Wi-Fi
• Launching in second quarter%3B price likely will be around %24800 plus monthly fee
• The gadget itself can be stashed in pocket or purse%2C or placed on dash of car or boat

NEW YORK — For all of the public places where you can connect to the Internet wirelessly these days, Wi-Fi still isn't ubiquitous. And if you're a boater, hiker, pilot, camper or another person who spends a lot of time out in the wild, the chances of connecting to cyberspace in some remote locations is near impossible. It's not just data. Try making a cellular phone call in such places.

Matt Desch, CEO of Iridium Communications, says the cellular industry covers only about 10% of the Earth's surface, with even less coverage in the skies. On Tuesday, Iridium unveils its potential solution, a compact (4.5 x 3.25 x 1.25 inch) 10.4-ounce device called Iridium Go that promises to connect you most everywhere you might be, from your own phone or tablet, at least when Go can communicate with Iridium's low-orbit satellite network. The device converts a satellite signal into Wi-Fi. It is expected out in the second quarter of the year.

Iridium has a rocky history. In 1998, the then Motorola-backed global satellite phone venture launched only to end up by the very next year in Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings. The early service was cumbersome, unreliable and costly—handsets cost three-grand.

But Iridium survived and eventually morphed into the profitable public company it is today. It now claims some 655,000 customers. About 20% of the company's business comes from the Department of Defense but Iridium's technology is also employed in maritime, aviation and "machine-to-machine" ventures, whereby Iridium modems can trace and monitor things that are beyond the geographic reach of terrestrial systems. Iridium is in the process of updating its network, with the next satellites set to launch in 2015.

Desch claims Iridium Go is "the first device we've created with much more consumer appeal."

It's still not likely to go mass market, however, not with the device likely to cost somewhere around $800 and fees that might range from $10 to $100 a month, depending on usage. Desch won't reveal precise numbers but he says the service will be priced to enable folks to make calls, post tweets and Facebook updates, and share texts, emails, and pictures, and it may cost less in some areas than when you're roaming on cellular.

There are limitations. Don't expect to use Iridium Go for heavy-duty or speedy multimedia usage — not every app will work, and you won't be playing online games or streaming movies off its signal. You'll be challenged with getting a signal indoors.

Desch envisions scenarios in which consumers perhaps rent Iridium Go rather than buy it, maybe for that long planned trek to the Himalayas or Antarctica, or the around the world cruise you've dreamed about.

But the company expects Iridium Go to be used by its more traditional enterprise and military customers as well, Desch says.

Iridium Go can be called upon in a disaster. There's an SOS button that you can press that puts you in two-way touch with an emergency responder. Through GPS you can check in or report your location.

Iridium also says it is building out Iridium Go not just as a device but as a platform for app developers — early partners include Satcom Direct (mobile apps for in-flight connectivity) and Global Marine Networks (apps for maritime use).

The device itself can be stashed in your pocket or purse or placed on the dash of your car or boat. It can tap into the satellite network to create a Wi-Fi signal that can be shared by up to 5 devices covering a radius of 100 feet. It is similar to the portable Wi-Fi hotspots sold today. But rather than position Iridium Go as a hotspot, Desch prefers calling Iridium Go "a cell tower in your pocket." You can use it for calls after all.

The company says that the device, which I haven't gotten to test yet, has a rugged, rubberized finish and an OLED black and white display. It's meant to withstand rain, sand and dust. You turn it on by flipping up an antenna. Charging is done through Micro USB, and Desch says it has a big enough battery to last a long time when you're in one of these out of the way regions.

Iridium will continue to sell satellite phones in the $1,000 range to its usual customers, but for the folks it is trying to branch out to with Iridium Go, such phones are overkill.

Iridium Go may not be. Assuming it works as promised and isn't too expensive, Iridium Go just might let you and your fellow campers share an Internet signal and make calls in areas you never before thought possible.

Email: ebaig@usatoday.com; Follow@edbaig on Twitter.