Asian Tsunami Means Big Sales For Japanese Satellite Phone Service

SPACEMART

Tokyo (AFP) Jun 17, 2005
A series of disasters including the Indian Ocean tsunamis has meant strong sales for the Iridium global satellite telephone service which has been launched in Japan.

A unit of Japan's second-largest telecom carrier KDDI launched the service in Japan this month, selling an initial stock of handsets to government offices, utilities and hospitals as an emergency communications tool.

Japan has extensive mobile phone networks but it is feared that a big earthquake could knock out relay stations and paralyze both landlines and cellphone services.

The company had been offering Japanese customers the Iridium service available overseas since March 2003, but began coverage in Japan in response to many inquiries, the official said but declined to disclose any sales figures.

"After the earthquakes in Japan and the tsunami off Indonesia late last year, we have seen strong demand," said Kazuaki Watanabe, senior manager of MSAT business division at KDDI Network and Solutions.

"We also see needs among people working in remote spots in Japan that are not covered by the existing mobile phone networks," he said.

Iridium Satellite LLC, based in the US state of Maryland, launched the current service in March 2001 that provides global coverage using handheld phones and low-earth orbit satellites.

The handset kit is priced at 241,500 yen (2,210 dollars) including tax.

The basic monthly charge is 6,000 yen, including free communication up to 2,000 yen.

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