[Satellite TODAY 01-28-10] Inmarsat has made the first call using IsatPhone, the company’s new global handheld service scheduled for launch in June, Inmarsat announced Jan. 27.
    IsatPhone Pro, which is being marketed to the government and enterprise sectors, aims to offer satellite telephony, with Bluetooth for hands-free use, voicemail, text and email messaging from service provided by three Inmarsat-4 satellites.
    The mobile satellite service provider said it also has finalized essential contracts and distribution arrangements, including a contract to upgrade the Inmarsat ground network completed on schedule by Lockheed Martin. Further testing on the integration between the handset and the ground network is underway.
    Inmarsat and its development partner Sasken Communications Technologies chose Elcoteq to produce IsatPhone Pro at its facility in Tallinn, Estonia. Eleven distribution partners have been selected to sell IsatPhone Pro at launch: AST, China Telecom, Evosat, MCN, MVS, Network Innovations, NSSL, Satcom Global, Singtel, Stratos and Vizada.
    Separately, Inmarsat announced that the company will file voluntary deregistration forms with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in connection with the termination of subsidiaries Inmarsat Finance, Inmarsat Global, Inmarsat Group, Inmarsat Holdings, Inmarsat Investments, Inmarsat Launch Company, Inmarsat Leasing and Inmarsat Ventures.
    The Company said it decided to deregister the subsidiaries following the redemption and cancellation of certain debt instruments. The deregistration will become effective 90 days after the filing.

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