Pinoy seamen can text home now via satellite

Filipino seamen working aboard ships outside of cellular range on oceans around the world can now send text messages to their friends and families back home via satellite.

Stratos Global Corp., one of the world’s leading satellite communication services provider, considers the Philippines as an important market for its services, given that more than 30 million text messages are sent each day throughout the country.

The company, recently ranked the second fastest growing technology company in Canada, will compete with Aces which recently tied up with Smart Communications to offer mobile satellite communications.

Stratos offers customers who operate in remote locations without cellular or terrestrial telecommunications facilities a full portfolio of cost effective communications services delivered via satellite. Among its customers worldwide are BBC Online, Sprint, AT&T, Bell, BT, Cable and Wireless, MCI Worldcom, and Teleglobe,

Stratos vice president for Asia Pacific Michael Smith confirmed that they are now talking with some telecommunication companies to offer a similar service.

A number of shipping companies in the Philippines have already expressed interest in using Stratos satellite services for crew calling, e-mail, navigation, text messaging, access to weather reports, Safety of Life at Sea applications, as well as internet, data transfer and fax requirements. Stratos is also eyeing the Philippine fishing industry, airline industry, offshore oil and gas operations and mining sector.

The company is also in talks with a range of telecommunications dealerships in the Philippines to develop a comprehensive distribution network for its satellite services throughout the country.

Stratos serves an array of diverse markets which include maritime, government, defense, mining, industrial, and recreational throughout the world. It is expanding into the Asia Pacific telecommunications market and is eyeing the Philippines as a major market.

It is also a worldwide service provider for the recently relaunched Iridium mobile satellite service, which it is marketing in the region.

"This service provides cheap calls to and from anywhere in the world using a handset weighing less than 500 grams. This will aggressively compete with existing operators in the Asia Pacific market to win new customers and grow in the global satellite communications marketplace," Smith said.