ICO Reaffirms Commitment to Serving Rural Markets With Semi-Fixed Terminals
Monday April 26, 12:32 pm Eastern Time
Company Press Release
WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 26, 1999--ICO Global Communications,
the global mobile communications company, has reaffirmed its commitment to serving the
needs of customers in rural and remote areas with a contract to Thrane & Thrane, Denmark,
which will supply semi-fixed user terminals supporting voice, data, fax and short messaging
services via a PC data connection.
The contract demonstrates ICO's continuing commitment to serving the semi-fixed telecommunications markets. Last year,
ICO announced an agreement with Landis & Gyr, which will supply of satellite-enabled public payphones to serve rural
markets.
''We are delighted to be working with Thrane & Thrane, a leading manufacturer of semi-fixed phones,'' said Dr Fredrik
Verkroost, ICO's Executive Vice President and Deputy Chief Executive Officer. ''The contract demonstrates our commitment
to the semi-fixed market, which is of huge importance to ICO. It is also a further milestone for us, and one that should allow us
to have semi-fixed products available at service launch next year. For people in remote areas, this service will provide valuable
access that simply does not exist today.''
The Thrane & Thrane terminals are designed for residential and business use in remote locations where there is no
telecommunications infrastructure. There will be two types of terminals: remote residential terminals, with external antennae and
telephone handsets, and small/medium business terminals, with external antennae, keypads and displays. Both types will be
easy to install, and will support voice, data, short messaging service and fax via a PC data connection.
Lars Thrane, President of Thrane & Thrane, said: ''We are very pleased with the ICO contract. We feel confident that ICO
and Thrane & Thrane will be able to provide competitive services and products compared to competitors. Today we have a
leading position in the market for satellite communication equipment for remote businesses and residential houses. The ICO
terminals will secure this position in the future.''
Editor's Note:
ICO Global Communications (Nasdaq: ICOGF - news) was established in January 1995 as a private company to provide
global mobile personal communications services by satellite, including digital voice, data, fax and messaging services. It has
raised approximately $3 billion to date from equity and debt investors. Among its investors are more than 60 strategic partners
and investors, comprising telecommunications and technology companies from over 50 markets around the world. In July of
1998, ICO was listed on Nasdaq in New York and became a public company.
ICO expects to begin commercial operations of its mobile satellite services in the third quarter of next year. Its satellite services
are expected to be used by international and domestic cellular users who roam outside areas covered by compatible cellular
networks from business, industry and government organizations, mining, transportation, aeronautical, maritime, media and other
sectors, as well as residents of rural and remote areas lacking adequate local communications.
Thrane & Thrane manufactures and markets radio communication products for a wide range of applications including short
wave, VHF, UHF and satellite communication. Since 1981, when Thrane & Thrane developed the first product, an automatic
short wave telex unit, Thrane & Thrane has been one of Denmark's fastest growing telecommunication companies. Annual sales
are approximately US$60 million.
Today Thrane & Thrane's activities are concentrated in two areas of satellite telecommunication: Mobile User Equipment and
Access Equipment for Satellite Ground Earth Stations and Network stations. In these business areas Thrane & Thrane has
grown its position to a leading supplier within Inmarsat satellite systems. Thrane & Thrane has provided almost 50,000 of the
130,000 Inmarsat mobile systems in operation.
Contact:
ICO Global Communications
Joe Tedino, 202/887-8111
Mobile: 202/255-0892
Visit the ICO Website at: www.ico.com
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