Thuraya gets a new $100M loan

Thuraya Satellite Telecommunications Company has secured a $100 million loan from EFS, an investment firm in the United Arab Emirates. The new loan will reportedly be used to pay off a part of the $600M presumably more expensive debt secured by Thuraya back in 1999 to fund the build-up of the network and launch of the operations.

Accessorize!

The new Thuraya SO-2510 may be the smallest satellite phone in the world, but how come we haven’t seen any accessories yet, even so simple but critical for travelers as car cigarette adapters and replacement batteries.

Satellite phone users have always to worry about powering up their equipment, thus taking extra batteries, various adaptors and solar power devices could definitely help. Even though universal solar chargers exist, they cannot be connected to the SO-2510 due to lack of car adaptors. It sucks…

So far, only one third-party accessory has been released: a protective leather case.

Thuraya will improve its ThurayaDSL in 2008

Ameinfo.com reports that Thuraya is planning to introduce the second generation terminal for its ThurayaDSL high-speed satellite service in the first quater 2008. The company wants to increase maximum transfer speed, make it smaller and add more functionality.

Although the preliminary design was reportedly approved last spring and talks have started with the manufacturer (Hughes), we have no information whether the improved modem will be based on the current laptop-sized Hughes 9102 terminal, which supports up to 144Kbps (only theoretically) and weighs about 3.5 lbs (1.6 kg).

Sounds like a long, long shot for Thuraya, given the fact that right now Inmarsat BGAN terminals already offer greater transfer speeds and satellite footprint, lots of fucntionality and comparable size and service rates.

Smuggling satellite phones

Although India may be one of the most suitable and promising markets for satellite telephony in the world, the Indian government has been prohibiting imports of satellite phones, particularly Thuraya handsets. Ironically, according to The Indian Express, this past summer several country’s military and intelligence agencies purchased a number of Thuraya phones from a private company, which allegedly imported the equipment illegaly using forged license and government permissions. One can only imagine the scope of satphone smuggling in India, if even government agencies ended up buying them.

Anyway, with the new Thuraya SO-2510 phone weighing just 130 grams (about 4.5 oz) and looking just like an ordinary cell phone, smugglers should be more willing to risk and bring the equipment so much needed in many parts of the Indian subcontinent.