China Spacecom to Activate Iridium Satellite Gateway This Year
BETHESDA, Md., March 27 China Space Mobile Satellite Telecommunications Co. Ltd. (China Spacecom) has announced that it is planning to open an Iridium® gateway earth station in 2007.
Iridium Satellite LLC and China Spacecom have recently signed agreements under which Iridium will provide technical assistance for commercial activation and ongoing maintenance of the gateway. China Spacecom has been an Iridium service provider since December 2005.
The gateway, which will be located in Beijing, will support Iridium voice and data services throughout China and could be operational by the end of 2007.
“The gateway will make it possible for us to expand our range of Iridium voice and data services in China,” said Tong Shirong, president of China Spacecom. “There is a large demand for Iridium short-burst data links in water resources management, hydrological monitoring, weather data collection, fishing vessel tracking, heavy machinery automation, environmental protection and other industries, as well as voice and email communications with ships and aircraft on domestic and international routes.”
“The China mobile satellite market is just emerging and will complement the tremendous growth of terrestrial mobile voice and data service,” said Matt Desch, chairman and CEO, Iridium Satellite. “This announcement is a great endorsement by a partner for our reliable and high quality network, and we also see the China market as an important opportunity for Iridium NEXT, our next generation constellation being planned for operation in six to seven years.”
About Iridium Satellite
Iridium Satellite LLC (http://www.iridium.com/) is the only provider of truly global satellite voice and data solutions with complete coverage of the earth (including oceans, airways and Polar Regions). Iridium delivers essential communications services to and from remote areas where no other form of communication is available. The Iridium constellation consists of 66 low- earth orbiting (LEO), cross-linked satellites and has multiple in-orbit spares. The constellation operates as a fully meshed network and is the largest commercial satellite constellation in the world. The Iridium service is ideally suited for industries such as maritime, aviation, government/military, emergency/humanitarian services, mining, forestry, oil and gas, heavy equipment, transportation and utilities. Iridium provides service to the U.S. Department of Defense. The company also designs, builds and sells its services, products and solutions through a worldwide network of more than 150 partners.
About China Spacecom
China Space Mobile Satellite Telecommunications Co. Ltd. (China Spacecom) is the only legal operator for satellite communications in China. The company provides a wide range of satellite services and user equipment for voice, data, text and fax throughout China.
