ACeS

ACeS (ASIA Cellular Satellite ) International Limited is an Asian satellite phone provider with headquarters in Jakarta and Singapore. He works with a geostationary satellite (similar Thuraya ), which can provide up to 11,000 simultaneous calls. The offer of ACeS includes digital voice and data services for telephony devices. The current coverage includes only the Asian region, but can ACeS customers to dial from Asia unlimited the global telephone network.

General

The area code for the network of ACeS is 882 20 The assigned by the ITU network identifier is 901-10.

On 4 September 2006, announced that ACeS will enter into a partnership with Inmarsat. Through this cooperation, both partners want to expand their offerings. ACeS gets through the use of the new Inmarsat I-4 satellite will have a virtually global coverage, while Inmarsat receives access to the important market of satellite mobile phones. Using a modified version of the handset or the satellite antenna discussions on the Inmarsat satellites will be performed.

The ACeS network is marketed over six providers and resellers seventeen in total fourteen East Asian countries. With prices starting at week 25 US-Cent/Min it is one of the best networks in the market. It is also GSM roaming (eg via Swisscom) possible.

As a hand-held device the Ericsson R190 GSM functions / satellite dual mode handset, which is produced under license since the merger of Sony and Ericsson to Sony Ericsson and the associated adjustment of satellite phones series of ACeS. The R190 was since its market launch in 2001 a long time the smallest satellite phone on the market. It is based on the Ericsson GH688 series. Most accessories are thus compatible with the device. A special feature allows the large satellite antenna trade for a compact GSM antenna. Furthermore, fixed installations, equipment for tracking assets ( ACeS mcat ) as well as equipment for commercial broadcasting ( ACeS aicast ) offered.

Satellite

History

Due to the size and dense population of Asia in conjunction with the fact that the poor infrastructure and towards Western Europe and the United States trailing industrial development, especially in the countryside in the 1990s still allowed no nationwide telephone network, in 1995 three East Asian companies merged to using a telecommunications satellite to provide full coverage of the East Asian region. It was the three companies PT Pasifik satellite Nusantara (PSN ) from Indonesia, Philippine Long Distance Telephone ( PLDT ) of the Philippines and Jasmine International Public from Thailand. The consortium, which now operates under the name ACeS based in Jakarta, is to provide the States Brunei, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, India, China and Malaysia with a satellite telephony offer was. The launch of the first satellite was initially scheduled for the end of 1997.

In 1996, the Swedish company Ericsson is awarded the contract for the production of the phones that are suitable as dual-band devices for their own satellite system and the GSM - 900 band ..

1998 ACeS full member of the GSM MoU Association to obtain access to global roaming services. By the end of ACeS has already signed agreements with 23 countries.

In 1999, the U.S. company Lockheed Martin is a strategic partner to, he shall build the two planned satellites. In addition, this year the ground stations in Batam, Jakarta, Bangkok and Subic Bay are built as well as the satellite Garuda 1 completed and shipped to the aerospace Baikonur in Kazakhstan, where he is shot into orbit on 12 February 2000. Eleven days later he reached its location of use in geostationary orbit and will be shown after a test phase for commercial use. The real distribution takes place through the PSN brand Byru from September 2000. In November, following the offer of SMART ACeS in the Philippines, and 2001 brings ACeS Regional Services Co. Ltd. (ARS, formerly Jasmine ) his commercial offer in Thailand on the market.

2002 markets the ACeS consortium his offer at exhibitions (Indonesian Oil & Gas Exhibition ), measure (such as the Offshore South East Asia Expo in Singapore) and by sponsors activities in the field of expeditions and adventure trips, such as a bicycle race from Thailand to China, the car Rally Bangkok Lhasa over a distance of 10,000 km or SIMEX Rainforest Challenge in Malaysia.

2005 ACeS has offices in over 16 countries. In addition to the state suppliers and founding companies PSN in Indonesia, SMART (formerly PLDT ) in the Philippines and ARS in Thailand (formerly Jasmine International) and multiple providers on the second seat of the consortium in Singapore is now also service provider in India ( Shyam ACeS India Private Limited ), Malaysia ( Celcom ), Nepal ( Avco ) and Sri Lanka ( Mobitel ) and resellers in Bangladesh, Brunei, Hong Kong, Japan, Pakistan, Papua / New Guinea, Taiwan and the UK.

2006, the cooperation with the communications satellite operator Inmarsat is announced. It is carried out under the pressure of an impending insolvency, since the number of customers initially were given notice of two million customers was missed by far. 2006 ACeS only 14,000 customers in the books until the end of 2008 comes ACeS only on an inventory of some 20,000 customers with high liabilities. In addition, currently the only satellite Garuda one approaches the end of its projected life time and should, also because of its due to a technical error at low power, to be replaced by a new satellite, including the ACeS consortium lacks the means.