Bangkok--Jul 6--Jasmine International
Asia Cellular Satellite System (ACeS) Opens House for Gateway Visiting and System Testing, Firmly Assured of its Voice Quality, Ready for Commercial Launch Within 2000
ACeS Regional Services (ARS), the national service provider of Asia Cellular Satellite System (ACeS) mobile phone Thailand, opens house to reporters for gateway visiting and system testing prior to the commercial launching by the end of this year.
Mr.Supot Krijpipudh, president of ACeS Regional Services Co., Ltd., disclosed that after successfully launched Garuda satellite into the orbit, while the construction and installation of hardware and software for gateway in Thailand had already completed since the beginning of the year, ready for system testing of gateway and ACeS's system including link of ACeS network and the Telephone Organization of Thailand (TOT)'s fixed-line network and international network of the Communications Authority of Thailand (CAT). In addition, international GSM network roaming is also tested between Satelindo, GSM service provider based in Indonesia and local operator in Thailand, Advanced Info Services Co., Ltd. Voice Quality from system testing is regarded as excellent. Technical representatives from Lockheed Martin Global and Ericsson Co., Ltd. joined the system testing.
ARS's gateway is located on the 7th floor of Jasmine International tower, Nonthaburi. At present. Three gateways in Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines are completely constructed and installation, while two more gateways in India and Taiwan are to be completed in the near future. ACeS's gateway links satellite signal with telephony earth network. Each gateway has 13 metre radius antena which contains database management.
Mr. Supot added that the Company is firmly confident in the project efficiency and readiness competing in mobile phone satellite service at inexpensive price due to lower investment cost. Price of ACeS's handset is set at approximately 40,000 baht and air time charge with 24 countries across Asia Pacific region will be less than $ 1 per minute. Local call within Thailand will be 24 baht / minute. Handset is ACeS/GSM dual mode is Ericsson R190 model which is compact and handheld designed. Target users are fishery business, mining, business travellers that need to keep in touch with their businesses.
The ACeS project and GSM network system will support each other. ACeS will expand network coverage area for GSM network, reducing network expansion cost for GSM's operator. While GSM subscribers can swap their SIM card of Ericsson R190 dual mode system to satellite's mode roaming.
The ACeS System is owned by ASIA Cellular Satellite (ACeS) International, with primary shareholders Lockheed Martin Global Telecommunications, Pasifik-Satelit Nusantara, Jasmine International Overseas Company Ltd. and the Philipines Long Distance Telephone Company. ACeS project investment value totalling US$750 million. End.
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