[8/22/07 – Satellite Today] EMS Technologies Inc. signed an agreement to design the next-generation satellite phones for Inmarsat Global Ltd., EMS announced Aug. 22.

The EMS Satcom division will design the dual-mode phones will support terrestrial GSM and GMR-2+ satellite operation and will detect whether a user is in a cellular coverage area and, if not, automatically switch to the global satellite network.

“Developing this new satellite phone is an important opportunity for EMS,” president and CEO Paul Domorski said in a statement. “We are evolving our proven mobile satellite communications technology for substantial new markets. These include corporate and small- to medium-sized enterprises as well as regional markets composed of individual users and remote field workers.”

The design will allow Inmarsat to better manage the spot-beam allocations for the I-4 satellite. “The combination of the third I-4 satellite launch in early 2008 and this dual-mode handset will allow us to continue our planned roll-out on a global scale,” Andrew Sukawaty, chairman and CEO of Inmarsat, said.

The contract is valued at about $26 million.