Thuraya to release new telecom applications based on its satellite module

US and European application developers experienced in this sector are already testing some prototype products based on ThurayaModule for military surveillance, vehicle tracking and maritime fleet management.

ThurayaModule, which is a compact satellite modem that supports circuit switch voice, data/fax, SMS, GPS and GmPRS, is an innovative product amongst the GEN-II series that allows absolute freedom to develop and customise products and solutions that operate on Thuraya's network.

The module, which is competitively equipped with GmPRS service that is first of its kind in the satellite industry, is faster and cheaper to use for customers since it is based on data transmission.

The product has strategically been designed to develop new business partnerships in the satellite application development industry, and broaden the Company's revenue streams.

Imtiaz Hossain, Product Manager Third-Party Developers and Accessories, said ThurayaModule has a huge potential in terms of diversifying the Company's current portfolio by providing such innovative and highly demanded services as tracking, SCADA, surveillance and other remote communication applications.

He said Thuraya has received an overwhelming response in recent months from developers and system integrators expressing interest in partnering with Thuraya to come up with new satellite applications for their multi-sector customers. 'Some prototypes for tracking and monitoring on ThurayaModule have been produced and are being tested with a view to evaluating their performance and viability. Once all tests completed, they will be launched and marketed to potential clients,' explained Mr Hossain.

He also added that a campaign for promoting ThurayaModule has begun recently. 'We have just started putting up our own developers' website (www.thurayadeveloper.com) to attract potential developers who may have interest in integrating the module for their customer solutions. This website leads visitors to a large group of developers and system integrators community from the Middle East, Europe and Asia' he added.

He also mentioned that Thuraya is receiving a lot of queries on GmPRS application via ThurayaModule as many developers find GmPRS very useful and economical for tracking solutions and will be used as a machine-to-machine (M2M) communication device for stationary data-loggers in places without terrestrial coverage.

Mr Hossain commented that ThurayaModule is a low-cost and low-margin product, and its sales are not expected to have a major effect on Thuraya business. 'However, it is the usage build-up of the module once sold to clients that will drive our network usage and revenues. And that is expected to happen next year,' he said.