Sasken Communication Technologies

Sasken Communication Technologies Ltd has announced that on October 05, 2007 it has entered into an agreement with EMS SATCOM, a division of EMS Technologies, Inc., to provide essential software for the design of a next generation dual-mode satellite and GSM mobile phone for Inmarsat.

This agreement will see the first-ever integration of Sasken's complete development solution - the GSM/GPRS protocol and supporting Application Framework - into a dual-mode GSM and satellite phone. The new Inmarsat phone, targeted for launch in early 2009, will offer remote field and aid operations, and other private and government agencies unprecedented communications reach and capability across remote corners of the world.

Sasken's key contribution to the development of the handset will be in the protocol software which enables and controls communication between the handset and the base stations or satellites and in the application middleware and user interface, which will be developed to Inmarsat's specifications.

This program marks a diversification for Sasken into satellite communication technology as the Company will also develop the necessary modifications to the GSM/GPRS protocol stack, to conform to the GMR2+ satellite communications standard. GMR2+ is the next-generation satellite protocol delivering optimum line of sight connection to the most extreme of global locations.

"This is a tremendous opportunity for Sasken, taking the Company's market-proven modular, scaleable approach and now extending it to this new domain of satellite communications," said Edwin Moses. Senior Vice President (Products), of the Company. "No other independent Company is currently able to provide a software stack solution for this purpose, delivering to EMS SATCOM the flexibility to reuse highly portable software that retains the look and feel of their brand, and that of their customer".