Key to the improvements will be higher speed, compact redesign and greater functionality. Thuraya plans to unveil the new-generation product in the first quarter of 2008.
Preliminary design of the terminal was approved in May and more consultations are planned with manufacturer Hughes Network Systems.
The project follows the launch of Thuraya DSL in 2005. Currently, the plug-and-play terminal is widely used in the oil and gas, media and NGO sectors, where customers value 'anytime, anywhere' Internet access. News agencies form another market sector of interest to Thuraya, as Thuraya DSL's near real-time video streaming capability to send video clips from remote areas to the rest of the world makes the product attractive.
In more detail Thurara DSL offers connectivity at speeds of up to 144kb/s, allows access to several key Internet services and applications including e-mail, e-commerce, intranet, file transfer protocol (FTP) and virtual private network (VPN), and can serve as a virtual office, helping subscribers increase efficiency and value for money.
As a financial incentive Thuraya is making Thuraya DSL more affordable: service providers who buy certain numbers of refill cards will receive a bundle that includes free terminals under the Thuraya DSL Unlimited Package campaign. This will, it is intended, help service providers design and customise their own promotions according to their market needs. The Unlimited Package offers customers unlimited data access at a competitive flat rate.
Overall, Thuraya DSL is part of a campaign aimed at enhancing Thuraya's growth in the broadband satellite market by expanding its customer base in the corporate sector.
* Thuraya, based in the UAE, provides mobile satellite services in more than 110 countries in the
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