Inmarsat IsatPhone Pro global handheld service

Inmarsat has announced that the first call has been made using its global handheld service, IsatPhone Pro. A contract to upgrade the Inmarsat ground network was completed on schedule by Lockheed Martin and further testing on the integration between the handset and the ground network is underway.

Sasken Communications Technologies, Inmarsat’s partner, has led development programs for most of the world’s top mobile phone manufacturers. Elcoteq has been appointed to produce IsatPhone Pro in Estonia.

Suitable for professional users in government, media, aid, oil and gas, mining and construction sectors, it will offer satellite telephony, with Bluetooth for hands-free use, voicemail, text and email messaging. Location data will also be available to the user to look up or send in a text message.

IsatPhone Pro is the first Inmarsat handheld to be purpose-built for its network. Delivering good performance from the world’s most advanced mobile satellite network, it will be available on a global basis over the three Inmarsat-4 satellites, which have an operational lifetime into the 2020s.