Inmarsat maps the future of Satcom services in the region @ Arabcom 2002

Commenting on the developments in the mobile communications services sector, Halawi explains that Inmarsat saw an unprecedented traffic growth in high-speed data in 2001 from the Inmarsat satellite covering the Indian Ocean region. "The high speed data traffic showed a 348% growth last year. What this means really is that more mobile high speed data communication solutions are being used in this part of the world where fixed and mobile internet access and telecommunication services are either not fast enough, or not available." He continues: "Although voice mobile communication services will continue to grow in the region, demand for high speed data bandwidth is exponential."

Inmarsat, the global mobile satellite communications provider, owns and operates a network of satellites that cover 98% of the globe. "While we have a strong history in voice mobile communications, our vision today is more towards providing the fastest and most universal mobile data services," Halawi explains.

Inmarsat is currently in the process of building its 4th generation satellites that will deliver data at speeds up to 432kbit/s as well as voice communications, almost anywhere in the world via terminals the size of a notebook or palm top computer.

Halawi ended: "The Middle East and subcontinent region is the first to benefit from Inmarsat's data strategy. We see this part of the world to be a booming market where revenues from mobile satcom services are estimated to reach $612 million in 2006. Until we launch our broadband global area network in 2004, the Middle East and subcontinent region will be the first in the world to have access to a 144kbit/s mobile packet data service, which we plan to launch towards the end of this year."

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