25th April 2017
As the Thuraya Partner Conference 2017 kicks off, we look back a what has been a busy few months for satellite network operator Thuraya Telecommunications, who in March announced that their Chief Technology Officer, Mr Ahmed Al Shamsi, had been appointed as temporary Acting Chief Executive Officer. Mr Ahmed Al Shamsi had played a key role at the global organisation for many years, assuming a place on Thuraya’s leadership team since its inception in 1997. We wish him the best of luck in his new position.
Furthermore, the new year brought with it the addition of two new products to Thuraya’s ever growing portfolio.
The maritime voice terminal launched in January, the Thuraya SeaStar, is a circuit switched voice terminal that brings maritime communications within the reach of all that operate at sea. Offering great value to mariners requiring voice services and only very light data, the SeaStar introduces the power of modern satellite communications capability to small scale operators and the modern fishing market. The marine terminal requires a Maritime NB (narrow band) SIM and can be activated on Maritime NB plans, similar to the older SF2500 terminal. For more information on the features and benefits of the Thuraya SeaStar, please click here.
In addition, at the end of 2016 we saw Thuraya add the Thuraya XT PRO DUAL to their market leading range of innovative satellite handheld devices following the success of the Thuraya XT DUAL and the Thuraya XT PRO, combining the dual-sim functionality with the added features and benefits of the ‘satellite phone for the professional’. The Thuraya XT-PRO DUAL is the first satellite phone in the world to offer a dual mode, enabling it to be used simultaneously as a regular phone on GSM networks and as a satellite phone.
As with every new technological product, Thuraya are always looking for ways to improve and develop products to ensure they function in a seamless and efficient manner. This month, they have released a new multi-language firmware update (v1.1) for the Thuraya XT PRO DUAL, ensuring the handset can smoothly receive an incoming GSM call during an ongoing satellite call (or vice versa) when set to Spanish or Italian language, and that SMS saved as a draft can be efficiently sent once finalised. The update is mandatory for those using the phone in Spanish or Italian languages, however we do recommend all users install the update.
To find out more about the Thuraya XT PRO DUAL please click here, and to update your firmware, please click here to visit the Thuraya upgrade page here: http://www.thuraya.com/product_upgrades/2121
Finally, to round up our Thuraya news summary, at Satcom Global we are always looking ahead at the technology of the future, the networks that will change the satcoms market, so we couldn’t finish without touching on the Thuraya FUTURA project. In late 2016, Thuraya announced the completion of their next generation constellation plans. FUTURA, as the project is known, will extend Thuraya’s geographical reach to global coverage, give them access to new market sectors, and coincide with the launch of new services and devices. The latest news is that the unique next generation mobility offering not only includes an enhanced product portfolio and expanded coverage, but new advanced L-band satellites, HTS (High Throughput Satellite) services, "new wave" IoT and content services, all with assured continuity.
Watch this space!
To speak to our local sales team in your region about Thuraya products and services, please click here.
« Back to news