Inmarsat was the world’s first global mobile satellite communications operator and is still the only one to offer a mature range of modern communications services to maritime, land-mobile, aeronautical and other users.

Formed as a maritime-focused intergovernmental organization over 20 years ago, Inmarsat has been a limited company since 1999, serving a broad range of markets. Starting with a user base of 900 ships in the early 1980s, it now supports links for phone, fax and data communications at up to 64kbit/s to more than 240,000 ship, vehicle, aircraft and portable terminals. That number is growing at several thousands a month.

Inmarsat Ltd is a subsidiary of the Inmarsat Ventures plc holding company. It operates a constellation of geostationary satellites designed to extend phone, fax and data communications all over the world. The constellation comprises 3 fourth-generation satellites and five third-generation satellites backed up by four earlier spacecraft.

Inmarsat was the world’s first global mobile satellite communications operator and is still the only one to offer a mature range of modern communications services to maritime, land-mobile, aeronautical and other users.

Formed as a maritime-focused intergovernmental organization over 20 years ago, Inmarsat has been a limited company since 1999, serving a broad range of markets. Starting with a user base of 900 ships in the early 1980s, it now supports links for phone, fax and data communications at up to 64kbit/s to more than 240,000 ship, vehicle, aircraft and portable terminals. That number is growing at several thousands a month.

Inmarsat Ltd is a subsidiary of the Inmarsat Ventures plc holding company. It operates a constellation of geostationary satellites designed to extend phone, fax and data communications all over the world. The constellation comprises 3 fourth-generation satellites and five third-generation satellites backed up by four earlier spacecraft.

Inmarsat was the world’s first global mobile satellite communications operator and is still the only one to offer a mature range of modern communications services to maritime, land-mobile, aeronautical and other users.

Formed as a maritime-focused intergovernmental organization over 20 years ago, Inmarsat has been a limited company since 1999, serving a broad range of markets. Starting with a user base of 900 ships in the early 1980s, it now supports links for phone, fax and data communications at up to 64kbit/s to more than 240,000 ship, vehicle, aircraft and portable terminals. That number is growing at several thousands a month.

Inmarsat Ltd is a subsidiary of the Inmarsat Ventures plc holding company. It operates a constellation of geostationary satellites designed to extend phone, fax and data communications all over the world. The constellation comprises 3 fourth-generation satellites and five third-generation satellites backed up by four earlier spacecraft.

Thuraya satellite phone service was launched in 2001 to offer high quality, affordable satellite communications to areas of high population, where coverage of GSM does not exist or is limited. The Thuraya coverage area includes North and Central Africa, Middle East, India, Central Asia and Europe. Thuraya satellite phones use the latest available Satellite phone technology, and provides the first truly pocket size handheld satellite telephone, with Thuraya’s exceptional voice clarity and low airtime rates, including the use of low denomination Pre Pay scratch cards and competative tariffs.

The System

The Thuraya satellite phone network is an advanced geo-synchronous mobile satellite system providing access to Satellite. It offers the facility for high quality voice, voice mail and SMS, together with an in built GPS. Thuraya’s Data/fax facilities are available through the optional data kit with speeds obtainable up to 9600bps which means reliable email or even web browsing.

Thuraya allows you to roam with your Thuraya phone handset across nearly one third of the globe. If you are in Thuraya’s coverage area you can call to, and receive a call from, anywhere in the world. Even outside the Thuraya coverage area you may still be able to use your Thuraya phone in GSM mode, through a Thuraya GSM roaming partner. The handset can be used as a Thuraya Satellite only, GSM only, or auto switching between the two, subject to the type of airtime package chosen.

The Iridium Satellite Phone System is the only provider of truly global, truly mobile satellite voice and data solutions with complete coverage of the Earth (Iridium satellite telephone coverage includes oceans, airways and Polar regions). Through the Iridium constellation of 66 low-earth orbiting (LEO) satellites operated by Boeing, Iridium satellite phones delivers essential communications services to and from remote areas where terrestrial phone services are not available. Iridium satellite phone service is ideally suited for industrial applications such as heavy construction, defense/military, emergency services, maritime, mining, forestry, oil and gas and aviation. Iridium satellite currently provides satellite phone services to the United States Department of Defense and launched commercial satellite phone service in March 2001.

The System

The Iridium satellite phone system is a satellite-based Personal Communication Services (PCS), or Mobile Satellite Services (MSS) system, supporting global, wireless digital telephone fax and data service. Iridium satellite provides voice, messaging and data services to mobile subscribers using handheld satellite telephones.

Iridium Satellite launched commercial global satellite communications services on March 28, 2001 with enhanced products and services. Iridium satellite service enhancements include improved voice quality and simplified pricing plans. Soon after launch, Iridium satellite expanded the service portfolio to include data services. Please see the Product & Services pages for details. Iridium is focused on providing affordable, dependable, long-term global satellilte phone and data solutions.

As previously announced, many Globalstar satellites are experiencing an anomaly resulting in seriously degraded performance of the amplifiers for the S-band satellite communications antenna. The anomaly is adversely affecting two-way voice and data services.

Until the new second-generation Globalstar satellite constellation is operational, customers can use a web-based call-times tool to predict call-time windows for their locations.

Press Release on the Globalstar Website

Globalstar uses a network of low earth orbit satellites with local gateways to provide good quality voice and low-speed data services in specific regions.