Tim Furniss/LONDON
ICO GLOBAL Communications, the Inmarsat affiliate which plans to provide a global voice, data, facsimile and messaging mobile-satellite communications system from 2000 (Flight International, 4-10 October, 1995, P44), has awarded a $500 million contract to a consortium led by NEC of Japan to provide the ground-segment-systems equipment.
NEC ( which becomes a strategic partner in ICO) is joined by Hughes Network Systems of the USA and Ericsson of Sweden. The consortium will provide the 12 Satellite Access Nodes (SANs), a network-management centre and the public- switched network SANs links.
These will connect hand-held and other ICO satellite-user terminals with wired or wireless telephones across the world. Upgrades to the network up to 2010 are expected to be worth an additional $150 million in business.
ICO has so far raised $1.5 billion from 47 investors worldwide for the system. The 12 satellites are being manufactured by Hughes Space and Communications under a $2.3 billion contract.
Source: Flight International
