This is the first Nera order for pocket-sized handsets and ICO's first contract with a European handset supplier. Earlier this year ICO placed its first orders for handsets with NEC and Mitsubishi of Japan and Samsung of Korea. Nera is an experienced builder of maritime satellite terminals for Inmarsat.

Nera President Bjorn Ove Skjeie and ICO Chief Executive Officer Olof Lundberg signed the contract today in Oslo.

"This is a great opportunity for us to secure a European supplier and we look forward to working with Nera in the development of these new exciting products," said Lundberg. "Demand for our terminals will be ramping up rapidly once we launch the service, and we will need a diversity of sources."

Skjeie also welcomed the contract saying: "We are very pleased to take on the challenge to meet ICO's standards, and we are confident we can deliver the highest quality within the time allotted. ICO is an important new customer for us, and we are happy to be in the ICO family of suppliers."

ICO's services will be based on a new generation of pocket-sized mobile phones that will allow users to make and receive calls at any time, anywhere in the world. The handsets will be dual mode, capable of working on satellite, cellular and PCS networks. Using their handsets, customers will be able to roam between ICO and mobile networks around the world.

If no cellular network is available, the handset will roam to ICO's satellite network to offer customers unrestricted mobility and accessibility for their communications needs.

Affordable services will be available to a wide range of users, from people living and working in remote rural areas to the international business traveller. In addition ICO will offer services to the road transport, maritime and aeronautical sectors.

About Nera ASA

Nera ASA is a Norwegian company specializing in the design, development, manufacture and marketing of wireless telecommunications equipment and systems, and the provision of related services.

Nera supplies mobile satellite terminals, land earth stations and airtime billing services, principally for the Inmarsat global satellite communications network and microwave radio relay systems and telecommunications management networks. Nera is listed on Nasdaq and on the Oslo Stock Exchange. The Nasdaq symbol is NERAY.

TRW Dumps Odyssey For ICO

Related Links

Memory Foam Mattress Review

SPACE MEDIA NETWORK PROMOTIONS Solar Energy Solutions Tempur-Pedic Mattress Comparison ... Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News

SPACEDAILY

LockMart A Billion Dollar Titan
Denver - October 12, 1998 -
Lockheed Martin Astronautics has been awarded a $1.327 billion contract modification from the U.S. Air Force to complete production of 40 Titan IV space launch vehicles and provide launch services for 39 missions through 2002. The 40th vehicle will be a spare. The modified contract also covers the launch of five Titan II space launch vehicles.