SingTel to provide vital communications lifeline in war zones

IsatPhone Pro enables business without boundaries to harness innovative applications to enhance user experience.

Singapore Telecommunications Limited (SingTel) announced on Monday it aims to enhance communications in war-affected Afghanistan and Iraq, with the launch of Inmarsat’s groundbreaking IsatPhone Pro satellite phone. SingTel will also offer the handset in emerging markets, such as Cambodia and Vietnam, and through its extensive network of 37 offices in 20 countries throughout Asia Pacific, Europe and the United States, according to a Singtel release.

To be available in June 2010, the IsatPhone Pro is ideal for media, military, government and humanitarian organisations working in high-risk and remote areas, and can provide a vital communications lifeline in dangerous situations. Shock resistant and designed for use in extreme weather conditions and temperatures between -20°C to 55°C, the handset is also suitable for the maritime, oil and gas, mining and construction industries.

Mr Bill Chang, SingTel's Executive Vice President of Business Group, said: "SingTel aims to allow customers to communicate wherever they are in the world and do business without boundaries or limitations.

"With its rugged design and advanced features, the IsatPhone Pro has attracted tremendous interest from customers in the region and we are confident that it will be a runaway success. In fact, SingTel started receiving advance orders for the handset from as early as six months before its official launch."

The IsatPhone Pro has the longest battery life in the market of up to 8 hours talk time and up to 100 hours on standby. It is the only satellite phone in the market with Bluetooth capabilities and also supports voicemail, text messaging, email and Global Positioning System (GPS) services.

SingTel will offer a range of innovative applications and solutions to further enhance the user experience of the IsatPhone Pro. For example, SingTel's Commtroller application offers companies the one-stop convenience of remotely managing their IsatPhone Pro accounts via a secure online web portal. With this powerful solution, users can activate and deactivate accounts, manage login credentials, monitor call records and expenses in real time and control usage limits. The solution can also be used to seamlessly manage BGAN and FleetBroadband accounts.