China approves Inmarsat's IsatPhone 2

Inmarsat has received type approval from the Government of the People’s Republic of China for its IsatPhone 2 technology.

In a statement, the company said this is the first time an international operator has been given legal authority to sell handheld satellite phones in the country.

“This is a very significant announcement for Inmarsat and something we have worked hard on with our partners and the Chinese Government,” said Tim Johnson, VP of Inmarsat’s Enterprise Unit.

A key criteria for the government approval was to have local infrastructure in the country. Inmarsat’s local channel partners are MCN Beijing (MCN) and China Telecom Satellite (CTS).

MCN, in partnership with Inmarsat, successfully completed its Global Satellite Phone Service gateway station in China at the end of 2014, receiving its official licence earlier in 2016.

“Given the size and scale of the country, there is huge demand for reliable mobile voice communications in China,” added Johnson.

“There are several sectors, such as mining and oil and gas, which regularly operate in remote areas of China and where currently traditional connectivity cannot provide the required level of reliable service cost-effectively.”