ABU DHABI, 12th April, 05 (WAM) - Building on a strong marketleadership in handheld mobile satellite services, the UAE-basedregional satellite operator, Thuraya, is launching soon a high-speedsatellite Internet service branded as "ThurayaDSL". As a firststep towards an ambitious long-term satellite broadband portfolio,ThurayaDSL is aimed at improving the Company's service offeringsto customers in need of reliable high-speed data services inareas lacking adequate terrestrial infrastructure,according to a statement from Thuraya today.
The new service will be available across the whole regionalcoverage of Thuraya spanning more than 120 countries in Europe,North and Central Africa, large parts of Southern Africa, theMiddle East, Central Asia and South Asia.
ThurayaDSL is a user-friendly service, based on a notebook-sizedplug-and-play device that offers a speed up to 144 Kbps on ashared channel. Simply, this terminal, which is SIM card operated,needs to be connected via Ethernet to a notebook or a computerfor a normal Internet/data usage.
Thuraya's CEO Yousuf Al Sayed said ThurayaDSL will complementthe Company's existing range of services and solutions gearedtowards key customers in major corporates, oil and gas operations,NGOs, business travelers, media and other users of data applications.
ThurayaDSL offers a similar experience to that in terrestrialInternet service at office or home, providing a broad range ofapplications such as Email, Internet, web browsing, File TransferProtocol, Virtual Private Network and other data facilities.
"The real attraction in this offering is two things: first,it is highly affordable, and second, we are also introducingwith it an innovative packaging concept constituting a new valuefor the mobile satellite industry, especially in the 'unlimitedusage' aspect" added Al Sayed.
He explained that the service would be offered on both Post-paidand Prepaid bases. In view of the varying sizes and work natureof customers, Thuraya has come up with four Postpaid servicepackages.
Al Sayed said Thuraya has made substantial investmentinthe GPRS ground infrastructure technology, and that ThurayaDSLis the first product in the Company's GPRS program that is setto position Thuraya as a key player in the satellite broadbandmarket in the coming few years. "Plans for more advanced dataapplications are already underway," he emphasized.
Talking of distribution of the new service, he pointed out,"One of our key strengths is that we have an extensive distributionchain comprising more than 100 Service Providers across our vastregional coverage. This makes it much easier and faster for usto offer new services immediately in most, if not all, our markets,"he elaborated.
Once launched, ThurayaDSL will be immediately available fromall Thuraya's SP outlets.
Thuraya provides cost-effective satellite-based communicationsolutions in urban centres, as well as remote areas and villagesand seas beyond terrestrial telecom networks. It offers mobileand fixed telephony, rural telephony solutions in remote area,maritime communications, fleet management & vehicle tracking,and satellite Internet services across a vast footprint of morethan 120 countries.
