| By
Dai Rees, InTouch
Smartcards - © Copyright 2004
The Thuraya satellite system uses a geo-stationary satellite located
over the equator at 44 degrees East. InTouch Smartcards is proud to add this phone to our range of global satellite services. Thuraya provides
service to 99 countries covering Europe, Northern Africa, the Middle
East and as far east as Bhutan in Asia. The hand-held phone is dual-mode - Satellite OR GSM. GSM roaming is possible in all covered
countries where mobile wireless systems exist and also in many other
parts of the world not covered by the Thuraya satellite.
Thuraya Handset features include:
* Similar size, weight and appearance to regular GSM phone
* Dual Mode: Thuraya or GSM
* Weight 7.5 ounces/220 grams
* Voice and data (to 19.2 kbps) over both the GSM and Thuraya satellite system
(Phone is recognized as 19.2 kbps modem)
* Short Message Service (SMS)
* Speed dialing
* Displays of signal strength, battery level, and mode indication
* GPS location service with a PC interface for GPS downloads (GPS distance and location displays to be added shortly)
* Clock and date, as well as 2 alarm clocks
* Tone dialing
* 16 ringing tones
* Call forwarding, barring, waiting and call hold
* Battery life: 650 mAh 2.4 hours talk time, 34.1 hours standby 1200 mAh 4.5 hours talk time, 63 hours standby
Note: Thuraya phones can be called directly from the USA, but only
through the Sprint or AT&T networks.
Countries served by Thuraya
Direct satellite calls to the United States (and other countries) can be
made from any of the following countries:
Afghanistan, Algeria, Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan,
Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Bhutan, Bosnia Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic,
Chad, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, France, Gambia, Georgia,
Germany, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greece, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Hungary, India, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jordan, Kazakhstan,
Kuwait, Kyrghyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Moldova, Monaco, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan,
Palestine, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, Spain, Sri Lanka,
Sudan, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Uzbekistan,
Yemen and Yugoslavia.
Coverage of the African continent is expected to expand to:
Burundi, Congo (Dem. Rep. of), Congo (Rep. Of), Gabon, Kenya,
Tanzania, and Uganda
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