ICO Global Communications, the global mobile communications company, has moved closer to providing service in Asia by signing a pre-launch distribution agreement with Korea Telecom.
Korea Telecom, an ICO strategic investor, has spearheaded the
development of telecommunications in that country for over a century,
now operating more than 20 million telephone lines. Korea Telecom is
also the eighth largest basic telecommunications provider in the
world.
This is the eighth agreement which ICO has announced, following
those in Oman, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Japan, Mexico and with
Inmarsat. It confirms the selection of a national partner for the
distribution of ICO products and services.
Korea Telecom will have the right to be an ICO distributor in The
Republic of Korea, and will be responsible for obtaining licenses to
offer ICO services. It will have the task of marketing and
distributing ICO services through local distributors and retail
outlets and will also ensure the availability of handsets.
Commenting on the announcement of the agreement, Olof Lundberg,
Chief Executive of ICO, said: "This distribution agreement further
strengthens ICO's position in Asia. The knowledge and experience of
Korea Telecom will help to ensure that ICO successfully delivers
personal communications in the Asian market.
"ICO dual-mode handsets will give many Korean cellular users the
benefits of international roaming for the first time. The ICO system
will also enable visitors to Korea to make and receive calls without
a change of handset."
Yong-Hee Seo, Vice President and Chief Executive of Wireless
Communications Business Group of Korea Telecom, said: "ICO is at the
forefront of global mobile personal communications by satellite, and
Korea Telecom is delighted to be a partner in this enterprise.
"We are proud of our accomplishments and I believe that this
Agreement will be highly conducive to both Korea Telecom and ICO for
the establishment of a solid foundation for ICO's service."
ICO's services will be launched in the year 2000. They will be
based on a new generation of pocket-size mobile phones which will
allow users to make and receive calls at any time, anywhere in the
world. The handsets will be dual mode, capable of working on
satellite, cellular and PCS networks.
Using their handsets, customers will be able to roam between ICO
and mobile networks around the world. If no cellular network is
available, the handset will "roam" to ICO's satellite network to
offer customers unrestricted mobility and accessibility for their
communications needs.
Affordable services will be available to a wide range of users –
from people living and working in remote rural areas to the
international business traveler. In addition ICO will offer services
to the road transport, maritime and aeronautical sectors.
