Iridium handsets get ITU seal of approval

NEWS Satellite mobile phone operator Iridium has been given a seal of approval from international regulators. The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) said Iridium phones will now be able to carry an official approval mark. Pekka Tarjanne, secretary general of the ITU, said the phones will reach "the goal of unrestricted circulation of handsets across international borders". Over 100 ITU members agreed that the handsets met the standards for safety and use. The announcement comes as welcome news for Iridium, which suffered a setback recently in the form of technical problems with its satellites. The glitches forces the company to postpone the launch of its service from 23 September to 1 November.