Iridium identifies Middle-East as key growth market

Dubai, UAE
Iridium Satellite, which launched commercial services in April 2001, was created in December 2000 when it bought the assets of its bankrupt predecessor, Iridium LLC.

Mr. Gino Picasso, chief executive officer (CEO) of Iridium Satellite LLC said, "The new Iridium is different from the former company in that it concentrates on specific vertical markets which cannot be linked through terrestrial cellular networks. With its dynamic business environment, the Middle East region offers many new growth opportunities in key vertical market segments such as oil & gas, maritime and aviation."

Mr. Picasso further said that previously high costs posed a major barrier to customers wishing to avail of satellite communication services. "Iridium however, with its affordable pricing, business model and leadership, has succeeded in overcoming these barriers, thereby making satellite communications accessible to a wider customer segment."

20% monthly growth for Iridium in the Middle East
Striking an upbeat note, Mr. Hans Kuijit, managing director of the Dubai based Glocall Middle East, said that the regional demand for Iridium satellite communication services was growing at an impressive rate of over 20% per month.

"In the last few months, Glocall has sold hundreds of thousands of minutes of Iridium satellite time globally. We have also entered into bulk agreements with several reputed companies in the oil & gas industries and aid agencies that are very active in the region, for a variety of Iridium services".

In the Middle East, Iridium services are offered through premier Service Providers (SPs) Glocall, (which operates in the region through its fully owned subsidiary, Glocall Middle East); AST Airtime Limited, which specializes in the oil and gas industry; Honeywell, which focuses on the aviation market segment; O'Gara, formerly known as SatCom and Tryco.

Iridium is the only provider of truly global satellite voice and data solutions with complete coverage of the earth, including oceans, airways and the Polar Regions. Through a constellation of 66 low-earth orbiting (LEO) satellites operated by the Boeing Company, Iridium delivers essential data and voice communications services to and from remote areas where other forms of communication are unavailable, unreliable or nonexistent.

"Multinational companies, governments and individual users seeking remote communications capabilities have several new options to purchase Iridium services. Iridium fills a critical infrastructure void as 86 percent of the world's landmass and oceans are not covered by terrestrial wireless services," said Mr. Picasso.

Increasing access to customers seeking remote, mobile communications solutions, Iridium has over the last one month signed agreements with major international telecom providers, including France Telecom Mobile Satellite Communications, Singapore Telecommunications Ltd. (SingTel), Telenor, Telstra Corporation Limited (Telstra), Telikom Papua New Guinea (Telikom PNG) and Xantic.

Mr. Picasso further said, "To deliver geographic and vertical market coverage, Iridium has an extensive global distribution network made up of service providers throughout the globe. In the Middle East too, Iridium has entered into strategic agreements with several premier service providers (SPs), selected on the basis of their vertical market expertise and commitment to delivering outstanding customer service."

Typically a service provider purchases equipment and airtime from Iridium and resells these services through its dealer network. Additionally, the SP also provides the crucial link to customers by acquiring, provisioning and supporting the use of the full-range of Iridium services by customers, including voice, data and text messaging.

"Iridium's strong financial backing and the wide array of global satellite communication services indicate continued growth and success," said Mr. Picasso. "We are committed to delivering cost effective and reliable voice and data services to our end users in key vertical markets throughout the world, and the Middle East is a key strategic region in our global plan. "


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