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Press Release:
Thuraya officially releases world’s smallest satellite phone
Press Release
News Article October 2006
18 October 2006: ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates – Maintaining its leadership in the mobile satellite services industry, Thuraya Satellite Telecommunications Company has officially released its second-generation handheld phones.
The lightest and smallest in the industry, the SO-2510 and the SG-2520, have received rave reviews since their soft launch a few months ago.
The SO-2510 was a runaway success as the initial shipment of 10,000 units was sold out in September. Thuraya plans to sell 90,000 units in 12 to 15 months. The SG-2520 smart phone will be commercially available later this year, with the Company planning to sell 70,000 units in 12 months. The SO retails around $725 and the SG is expected to sell at about $925.
The introduction of the new phones puts Thuraya years ahead in satellite handhelds and will drive the Company’s future business growth.
"The high demand for the new handsets will create a renewed market momentum for us," Thuraya CEO Yousuf Al Sayed said.
The SO-2510 is a satellite only version designed for those requiring mobile connectivity in areas beyond terrestrial networks.
At a mere 130 grams, it is the world’s lightest and smallest satellite phone. It is loaded with features such as GPS, a high-resolution colour screen, enhanced memory, polyphonic ringtones, USB connectivity and multi-language support. With its easy-to-navigate GSM-like menu, the handset offers a wide range of services including voice, data, fax and short messaging.
Thuraya recently tested the phone’s GPRS capabilities by making the first high-speed Internet connection via a satellite handheld terminal. Data can be downloaded at speeds of up to 60Kbps and uploaded at 15Kbps. The GPRS service will be available to customers at an additional fee.
At 180 grams, the smart phone is the only satellite tri-band phone that provides connectivity on GSM mode in all five continents. It has all the features of the SO-2510 plus a built-in camera and advanced streaming media capability.
This handset is for people who need satellite connectivity that combines all the new features that come in today’s high-tech phones. It offers superior GPS navigation that allows users to find locations and reach destinations quickly and safely.
It is enriched with GSM 900, 1800 and 1900 MHz capabilities, runs on Windows-based operating system and supports Java. It also supports more than 10 languages.
The quality and the competitive features of the new phones (images available at www.thuraya.com/content/product-images.html ), as well as extremely positive market reaction reflect Thuraya’s continued dynamism in the global satellite industry.
The new phones, manufactured by APSI of South Korea, a firm partly owned by Thuraya, generated a lot of interest at last month’s Asia-Pacific Satellite Communications Council (APSCC) conference in Seoul.
About Thuraya (www.thuraya.com)
Thuraya, based in Abu Dhabi, UAE, provides mobile satellite services in more than 110 countries in the Middle East, Europe, Africa and Asia. The Company will launch its third satellite, Thuraya-3, early next year bringing countries of the Asia-Pacific region under Thuraya’s footprint and extending its coverage to nearly two third of the globe’s population.
Thuraya was founded in 1997 by a consortium of leading national telecommunications operators and reputed investment firms.
For more information, please contact:
Mr. Ebrahim Khalil Ebrahim, Manager, Corporate Communications, Thuraya Satellite Telecommunications Co.
Tel. 971-2-6161-388, Fax 971-2-6417-884
Email: e_ebrahim@thuraya.com
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