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Press Release
Trial Service in August, Go Online in September
Network of 72 Satellites
A satellite-capable wireless phone service that will ring you anywhere on the planet will be available soon. The Iridium System offers a service that connects calls from Antarctica to Mount Everest or the middle of the Pacific Ocean to Sahara desert.
Iridium LLC, an international consortium for the low-orbital satellite communications service consisting of 20-plus partners of 15 countries including SK Telecom (President: Jung Uck Seo), announced that it successfully fired off its 72nd satellite at Vandenberg Air Force Base in Lompoc, California, USA, at 6:16 AM on May 18 (local time: 14:16 PM, May 17). The consortium set off its first satellite May 1997 and today successfully launched the last of its 72 satellites required (66 plus six on-orbit back-up satellites) for the world’s first GMPCS (Global Mobile Personal Communications by Satellite) network.
This satellite constellation will be used to offer commercial GMPCS service beginning September after a period of trial service. During the trial service, the System will test whether the communications systems of the land terminals and gateway stations are functioning and fine-tune the tariff settlement system.
SK Telecom that has 82 million dollar stake in the consortium manages the gateway stations on the Korean Peninsula (including those in North Korea) and has the right to provide Iridium services within the area. The actual service will be provided by Iridium Korea, an SK Telecom company.
Iridium Korea said that "the completion of the 72-satellite network signifies the shift to the era of low-orbit satellite communication and the beginning of the GMPCS," and added that "Iridium Korea will accelerate the preparation for the roll-out of the global Iridium service.
The Iridium System is the state-of-the-art wireless communications system that allows customers to place and receive high-quality calls with a pocket-sized Iridium phone anywhere on the planet with the help of the 72-satellite network. Particularly in the case that the telecom system gets paralyzed due to such natural disasters as floods, an earthquake or a fire, the System enables communications services such as wireless phone, paging and data and fax transmission services via its own independent satellite network.
In the consortium, more than 20 companies of 15 countries including Motorola of USA and DDI of Japan participate and its Korean partner is Iridium Korea, a subsidiary of SK Telecom.
Iridium LLC, an international consortium for the low-orbital satellite communications service consisting of 20-plus partners of 15 countries including SK Telecom (President: Jung Uck Seo), announced that it successfully fired off its 72nd satellite at Vandenberg Air Force Base in Lompoc, California, USA, at 6:16 AM on May 18 (local time: 14:16 PM, May 17). The consortium set off its first satellite May 1997 and today successfully launched the last of its 72 satellites required (66 plus six on-orbit back-up satellites) for the world’s first GMPCS (Global Mobile Personal Communications by Satellite) network.
This satellite constellation will be used to offer commercial GMPCS service beginning September after a period of trial service. During the trial service, the System will test whether the communications systems of the land terminals and gateway stations are functioning and fine-tune the tariff settlement system.
SK Telecom that has 82 million dollar stake in the consortium manages the gateway stations on the Korean Peninsula (including those in North Korea) and has the right to provide Iridium services within the area. The actual service will be provided by Iridium Korea, an SK Telecom company.
Iridium Korea said that "the completion of the 72-satellite network signifies the shift to the era of low-orbit satellite communication and the beginning of the GMPCS," and added that "Iridium Korea will accelerate the preparation for the roll-out of the global Iridium service.
The Iridium System is the state-of-the-art wireless communications system that allows customers to place and receive high-quality calls with a pocket-sized Iridium phone anywhere on the planet with the help of the 72-satellite network. Particularly in the case that the telecom system gets paralyzed due to such natural disasters as floods, an earthquake or a fire, the System enables communications services such as wireless phone, paging and data and fax transmission services via its own independent satellite network.
In the consortium, more than 20 companies of 15 countries including Motorola of USA and DDI of Japan participate and its Korean partner is Iridium Korea, a subsidiary of SK Telecom.