The United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) Satellite Telecommunications Company Thuraya recently announced its full acceptance of a one billion dollar satellite system built by US aerospace giant Boeing, stated a press release. Thuraya thus takes full charge of the system’s operations, following five years of development that included satellite manufacturing, terminal development and billing set up.
This is the first mobile integrated communication system designed by Boeing Satellite Systems with sub-contractor Hughes Network Systems. The satellite is equipped with a 12.25-meter L-band transmit-receive reflector provided by TRW Astro Aerospace.
Sharjah-based Thuraya was founded in 1997 as a consortium of regional telecom operators and international investment houses. The Thuraya-1 satellite was successfully launched on board a Sea Launch Zenit-3SL rocket in October 2000.
Thuraya’s mobile telecommunications via satellite (GMPCS) system is designed to meet the regional need for mobile phone services to urban hubs as well as remote communities. Through partnership with national telecoms and mobile communications companies, Thuraya provides blanket coverage to 99 countries throughout Europe, the Middle East, North and Central Africa, the Indian Subcontinent and Central Asia: a landmass inhabited by an estimated 2.3 billion people. — (menareport.com)
© 2002 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
