Inmarsat appoints Telespazio as Value Added Reseller for Global Xpress serving the Government and Enterprise markets

London, UK, 13-3-2014 — /EuropaWire/ — Inmarsat, (LSE:ISAT.L), the leading provider of global mobile satellite communications services, has signed an agreement with Telespazio SpA, a Finmeccanica/Thales company, appointing the international managed satellite services provider as a Value Added Reseller (VAR) for Global Xpress (GX), serving the Government and Enterprise markets.

In the enterprise sector, Telespazio will be targeting energy, media and corporate customers with a particular focus on Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America.  In the government segment, the agreement signed today enables Telespazio to offer the game-changing, high-speed broadband satellite service to customers in Europe.

Ronald Spithout, President, Inmarsat Enterprise, said: “Telespazio is a highly regarded specialist within the satellite industry and we have enjoyed a long and successful partnership with them.  We are delighted to welcome them to our growing family of GX VARs. Telespazio has a strong presence in regions which are important targets for us; in particular Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America.”

Andy Start, President, Inmarsat Global Government, said: “Telespazio is an exciting partner for us because of its significant defence systems integration capability and its well-developed government focused distribution in Europe.   Both Telespazio’s parent companies have an extensive portfolio of ISR products which will benefit from the high bandwidth mobile communications GX affords.”

This agreement strengthens a long and successful collaboration between Inmarsat and Telespazio, and confirms Telespazio’s position as a leading operator in value-added integrated satellite communication services.

Global Xpress is the world’s first globally available Ka-band mobile broadband satellite network, providing very high bandwidth services to end-users on land, at sea and in the air, delivered through a resilient, secure waveform that is optimised for mobility.  Integrated seamlessly with Inmarsat’s current L-band network, Global Xpress will ensure reliable communications in support of mission critical operations in the most challenging environments.

Inmarsat-5 F1, the first Global Xpress satellite, which was launched in December 2013, is completing its final ‘shakedown’ tests and is on course to enter commercial service by mid-year 2014.  The full constellation of three satellites is on schedule to achieve full global coverage by the end of the year.

Telespazio is one of Europe’s leading specialised satellite services providers, representing the combined investment of Thales S.A. and Finmeccanica SpA in this growing market segment. The company is a long-term partner of Inmarsat and is a Distribution Partner for our L-band services, as well as managing and operating Inmarsat’s L-band and Global Xpress satellite access station (teleport) at Fucino in Italy.

For Further Information

About Inmarsat
Inmarsat plc is the leading provider of global mobile satellite communications services. Since 1979, Inmarsat has been providing reliable voice and high-speed data communications to governments, enterprises and other organizations, with a range of services that can be used on land, at sea or in the air. Inmarsat employs around 1,600 staff in more than 60 locations around the world, with a presence in the major ports and centres of commerce on every continent. Inmarsat is listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE:ISAT.L).

About Telespazio
Telespazio, a Finmeccanica/Thales 67/33 joint venture, is one of the world’s leading operators in satellite services. Its activities range from the design and development of space systems to the management of launch services, from in-orbit satellite control to Earth observation, from integrated communications, satellite navigation and localisation services to scientific programmes. Telespazio plays a leading role in the reference markets harnessing technological experience acquired over the years. Since its establishment, the company has participated in major European space programmes such as Galileo, EGNOS, Copernicus and COSMO-SkyMed. In 2012, Telespazio generated sales of EUR 562 million while employing approximately 2,500 people worldwide. For more information, please visit www.telespazio.com.

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