Virgin Megastore to distribute Inmarsat services in the UAE in new deal with Global Beam Telecom

Inmarsat, the world leader in global, mobile satellite communications, today announced that distribution partner Global Beam Telecom has secured an agreement with Virgin Megastore in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to sell Inmarsat’s IsatPhone 2 satellite phones and BGAN (Broadband Global Area Network) portable Wi-Fi terminals to its UAE customers. The devices are immediately available for purchase at three of the largest Virgin Megastores in UAE, along with pay-as-you-go scratch cards for recharging the phones credit. 

Increasingly, safety and security are paramount concerns amongst purchasers of satellite phones who often work or travel in isolated or volatile areas. The very nature of remote regions means that there is often a lack of reliable cellular connectivity, which poses operational and safety challenges. Inmarsat’s mobile satellite communication solutions allow both remote workers and consumers to access reliable connectivity using a single device and one SIM, irrespective of where they are located in the world. 

The IsatPhone 2, the latest addition to Inmarsat’s handheld satellite phone portfolio, offers a rugged handset, unrivalled battery life and excellent voice quality. The handsets come with voicemail, text and email messaging capabilities. Designed to operate at temperatures as low as -20°C and as high as +55°C, the handsets are robust enough to withstand the most extreme and toughest conditions. A key feature of the phone is its location service, including an emergency assistance button that sends GPS location data, together with a user-defined text message, to pre-programmed numbers or email addresses in an emergency. 

The low-cost handset – as well as the BGAN devices – operate over Inmarsat’s award-winning global L-band satellite network; the most reliable satellite communications network in the world, with an average network availability of 99.9 percent. This ensures that customers can connect seamlessly wherever they are on the planet – no matter how remote. 

Commenting on the agreement, Mike Carter, President of Inmarsat Enterprise, said: “Customers today require access to robust and reliable connectivity no matter where they travel or work. Whether it is for staying in contact during leisure activities or for remote workers needing to communicate with central operations teams, reliable, always-on connectivity is absolutely essential. With the help of Global Beam Telecom, this agreement with Virgin Megastore exemplifies our ongoing commitment to provide customers across the UAE with access to unrivalled levels of connectivity and is further evidence of our intent to continue growing our business in the Middle East.” 

Abdullah Sulaiman, CEO of Global Beam Telecom, added: “We are incredibly proud to serve Virgin Megastore’s customers in the UAE with the most reliable, cost-efficient satellite services and devices on the market. Inmarsat has a comprehensive portfolio of established solutions and this new agreement will ensure that its devices and services are now more accessible in the UAE than ever. We look forward to continuing our work with Virgin Megastore to maximise the potential of the IsatPhone 2 and BGAN, as well as other Inmarsat services, to new regions and markets in the near future.”