War fuels sales of satellite phones
21/2/2003 14:55
With the US war on Iraq having started in earnest, China's phone
dealers are selling more Inmarsat (INternational MARitime SATellite
organization) phones in response to demand by media groups.
Nearly 200
Inmarsat phones have been sold in Beijing, more than 10 times normal sales,
today's homeway.com reported, citing industry insiders.
Most of the
recent purchasers are Beijing media groups sending journalists to areas near
Iraq to cover the war, according to a salesman at Beijing Parco Technology Co
Ltd., one of the city's four satellite phone system and service
providers.
The phones can only be used in countries neighboring Iraq,
including Iran, Jordan and Kuwait, because China hasn't signed a roaming mobile
telecom compact with Iraq due to poor communications there.
According to
telecom experts, Inmarsat is an ideal communications tool for geologists,
journalists, field workers, and anyone else operating in isolated or
underdeveloped areas beyond the reach of cellular or fixed
communications.
It provides coverage to 98% of the planet with access to
international dial-up telephone, fax, and data networks.
Inmarsat is an
international organization using satellite communications and providing maritime
telephone, telex, facsimile, telegram, data communication, distress and safety
services.
The best selling Inmarsat phone system in Beijing is Inmarsat
M4, according to the Parco salesman.
Priced at nearly 100,000 yuan
(US$12,092), the system provides Internet access at 64 kilobites per second for
US$7.5 a minute.
The charge for dialing a call or sending a fax is US$2.5
per minute.
Jane Chen / Shanghai Daily news
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