Thuraya-Satellite Telecommunicatons

United Arab Emirates6 January 2003Draft

Thuraya is a mobile satellite system offering satellite telephony to more than 100 countries in Europe, North and Central Africa, the Middle East, CIS countries and South Asia. Thuraya's handheld phones combine three powerful features -satellite, GSM and GPS- with the dynamic ability to integrate voice, data, fax, and other value added services such as short message services. Other innovative offerings from Thuraya include the SATEL indoor docking unit, the SATMOVE vehicular docking adaptor and Payphones. Thuraya's satellite/GSM dual mode flexibility ensures continuous and cost-effective roaming for users. Essentially, Thuraya subscribers would continue using their national land-based mobile network, but will be able to switch to Thuraya satellite mode in areas that are outside the local terrestrial system. Thuraya operates through service providers and has successfully signed many service provider and roaming agreements with national and GSM telecom operators to provide its satellite services in its coverage area. Thuraya's Primary Gateway in Sharjah, UAE, is the nerve center of Thuraya's geostationary satellite, which was built by Boeing Satellite Systems at a project cost of US$1 billion. Thuraya 1 satellite was successfully launched on board a Sea Launch Zenit-3SL rocket from the equator in the middle of the Pacific Ocean on 21st October, 2000.