14 July 2016: Inmarsat has received type approval from the Government of the People’s Republic of China for its IsatPhone 2 technology, making it the only international operator legally eligible to sell handheld satellite phones in the country.

Working alongside local channel partners MCN Beijing (MCN) and China Telecom Satellite (CTS), Inmarsat is uniquely positioned to service the Chinese market and looks forward to meeting the strong demand generated across multiple sectors in China.

A key criteria for the Government approval was to have local infrastructure in the country. MCN, in partnership with Inmarsat, successfully completed its Global Satellite Phone Service (GSPS) gateway station in China at the end of 2014, receiving its official licence earlier this year.

Significant announcement

Tim Johnson, Vice President of Inmarsat’s Enterprise Unit said:

“This is a very significant announcement for Inmarsat and something we have worked hard on with our partners and the Chinese Government.

“Given the size and scale of the country, there is huge demand for reliable mobile voice communications in China. Provision of this type of communication technology which can be deployed quickly – and at relatively low cost – can provide significant benefits in terms of broader economic and societal development.

Capture growth

“As the need for reliable and remote communications in China continues to grow, driven by strategic initiatives such as ‘One Belt, One Road’, Inmarsat will be well positioned to capture that growth.

“There are several sectors such as mining and oil & gas, which regularly operate in remote areas of China and where currently traditional connectivity cannot provide the required level of reliable service cost-effectively. This announcement paves the way to meeting that demand.”