With millions of overseas Filipinos deployed in different parts of the globe, Smart Communications announced this week that it has forged a partnership with Dubai-based mobile satellite services provider Thuraya Telecommunications to expand the local operator’s satellite services, including providing Internet access while at sea.
At a press briefing at the Makati Shangri-la Hotel, Smart and Thuraya executives unveiled the Marino PhonePal, a local satellite voice call service that can provide satellite coverage while at sea, and the SatSleeve which can transform a regular iPhone into a portable satellite phone unit.
?With this enhanced mobility and accessibility of our satellite services, we can serve better not only the maritime market, but also other critical and demanding fields such as the media, the military and the country?s disaster and emergency response agencies,? said Orlando B. Vea, chief wireless advisor for Smart.
With Thuraya, Smart said it has expanded its satellite footprint to cover two-thirds of the world. Smart Satellite Services are now accessible in the land areas and major sealanes in Asia, New Zealand, Australia, Middle East, Africa, Europe, and Indian Ocean.
?Aside from giving us broader coverage, our partnership with Thuraya enables us to offer our customers a broader range of services, including text messaging and mobile data applications? said Charles A. Lim, Smart?s EVP and head of wireless consumer business.
Lim said the Philippines accounts for about 30 percent of the seafarer workforce worldwide.
The Marino Phonepal is a prepaid, IVR PIN-based calling service that enables seafarers to make voice calls from their ships, even while in the middle of the sea. It offers ?call home? satellite rates at P18 per minute.
?The recent Maritime Labor Convention has set a requirement for ship owners and ship managers to provide affordable voice and data services to their crew,? said Tina Z. Mariano, head of Smart?s global access group.
?We have an existing fleet rollout program where we give ship managers free Marino Phonepal units for installation on their ships with Filipino crewmembers. This allows them to comply with that decree that aims to uplift sea workers? welfare.?
The other new product that Smart will be offering soon is the SatSleeve ? a portable dock that allows iPhone users to switch from cellular to satellite mode just by mounting the phone into the device. It has call, SMS, and mobile data capabilities allowing users to use the phone just as they would in a cellular network.
The SatSleeve will be initially available for iPhone 4, 4S and 5 models. Smart said SatSleeve models for Android devices will also be developed.
?This makes satellite communication simpler and more accessible to people in the media, military, mining, tourism and more,? said Vea.
Smart is also now partnering with national agencies and select humanitarian and rescue organizations for the use of the SatSleeve in disaster preparedness and emergency communications.
?In a disaster-prone country like ours, we should be always ready for calamities and emergencies. Smart Satellite Services provides emergency agencies greater flexibility in responding to calamities,? said Vea.
