Iridium signs France Telecom Mobile&Norways Telenor Sat...

Iridium signs France Telecom Mobile&Norways Telenor Sat Serv

Document date: Wed 19 Jun 2002 Published: Wed 19 Jun 2002 14:51:00
Document No: 218112 Document part: A
Market Flag: Y
Classification: Progress Report
QUADRANT IRIDIUM LIMITED 2002-06-19 ASX-SIGNAL-G

HOMEX - Perth

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US company, Iridium Satellite LLC (Iridium Satellite) today announced
a global distribution agreement with France Telecom Mobile Satellite
Communications, a fully owned subsidiary of France Telecom and a
service provider agreement with Norway based Telenor Satellite
Services.

France Telecom Mobile and Telenor Satellite Services are the latest
major telecommunications providers to join Iridium following the
recent signing of Telstra, Singapore Telecommunications Ltd, Xantic
and Telikom PNG.

Quadrant Iridium Limited has a 16% interest in the US company,
Iridium Holdings LLC, the holding company for Iridium Satellite.
Following is the text of a press release made today.

P MacLeod
COMPANY SECRETARY

IRIDIUM SATELLITE LLC SIGNS
FRANCE TELECOM MOBILE SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS SA AND
NORWAYS TELENOR SATELLITE SERVICE

AGREEMENTS STRENGTHENS IRIDIUM'S GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION NETWORK

Iridium Satellite LLC, provider of global satellite voice and data
communications, today announced a global distribution agreement with
France Telecom Mobile Satellite Communications, a fully owned
subsidiary of France Telecom and a service provider agreement with
Oslo, Norway-based Telenor Satellite Services.

France Telecom Mobile and Norway-based Telenor Satellite Services are
the most recent major telecommunications providers to join Iridium
Satellite's expanding global network of service partners to further
broaden the distribution of Iridium's global satellite voice and data
communications services. Iridium Satellite recently signed on Telstra
(Australia), SingTel (Singapore), Xantic (Netherlands) and Telikom
PNG (Papua New Guinea).

FRANCE TELECOM MOBILE

France Telecom Mobile Satellite Communications is a longstanding
provider of mobile voice and data telecommunications services via
Inmarsat satellites. This subsidiary is one of the world's leading
providers of Inmarsat services. Today, the company plans to leverage
Iridium's global voice and data capabilities and affordable cost
structure to further extend its market to customers with "handheld"
communications needs in remote areas.

Under the agreement, France Telecom Mobile Satellite Communications
will offer Iridium's voice and data services through its extensive
dealer network around the world. The agreement further strengthens
Iridium's global distribution network while providing France Telecom
Mobile Satellite Communications with an additional mobile satellite
offering for its customers. Moreover France Telecom Mobile Satellite
Communications will develop through its fully-owned subsidiary
Glocall (a distributor of mobile communications via satellite located
in Netherlands), an international Iridium competence centre that will
provide product marketing and support to France Telecom Mobile
Satellite Communications' sales outlets.

"France Telecom Mobile Satellite Communications is an ideal service
partner for Iridium," said Gino Picasso, chief executive officer of
Iridium Satellite LLC. "As a top provider of global satellite
services, they have made a strong commitment to further business
growth. Iridium's services bolster France Telecom Mobile Satellite
Communications existing portfolio and expands their global reach."

"Iridium is an essential addition to our satellite services portfolio
enabling us to significantly broaden our target market and revenue
base," said Jean-Louis Charlety, chairman and chief executive officer
of France Telecom Mobile Satellite Communications. "With global
coverage and data capabilities, Iridium delivers a robust mobile
satellite communications offering and perfectly complements our
existing satellite offerings for maritime and land-based
applications. This partnership is key to delivering the most
comprehensive suite of satellite communications services to our
customers."

TELENOR SATELLITE SERVICES

In addition to France Telecom Mobile Satellite Communications,
Norway-based Telenor Satellite Services will offer Iridium's voice
and data services through its extensive worldwide dealer network.
This agreement further strengthens Iridium's global network and user
base while complementing Telenor's comprehensive portfolio of
satellite communications solutions.

"The addition of Telenor to Iridium's roster of service partners
supports our ongoing strategy to provide organizations and
individuals with remote communications capabilities that are not
available from terrestrial-based wireless services," said Gino
Picasso, CEO of Iridium Satellite LLC. "Telenor's industry leadership
in markets where we have a strong customer base makes for a mutually
beneficial partnership." Iridium already had an existing relationship
with Marlink, a leading provider of satellite communications for the
maritime community, launched by Telenor Satellite Services in March
2002. As part of the agreement, Iridium will work with all of Telenor
Satellite Services" business units including Telenor Satellite
Services, Inc in the United States and Marlink.

Iridium Satellite LLC, which bought the assets of Iridium LLC out of
bankruptcy in December 2000, launched global voice services in March
2001 and added ubiquitous Internet connectivity in June.

The company recently launched five additional spare satellites to
ensure the life span of the constellation, currently estimated to
have at least eight more years of operational life.

For further information please call:

Pia De Lima, Burson-Marsteller (Melbourne): 613 9685 8539 / 0418 311
437, [email protected]

ABOUT FRANCE TELECOM MOBILE SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS

France Telecom markets its mobile satellite services (Inmarsat,
Thuraya, Iridium) via its subsidiary France Telecom Mobile Satellite
Communications. The company has a highly active and extensive
distribution network all around the world, and holds three
subsidiaries (Glocall in the Netherlands, FTMSC Gmbh in Germany and a
40% share of TDCom in France). The business has a strong proportion
of customers in the maritime, media and NGO, security, construction,
petroleum and transportation sectors. In 2001, France Telecom's
Inmarsat activities accounted for revenues of 111 million euros (an
increase of 13% over 2000). France Telecom Mobile Satellite
Communications is the third largest Inmarsat operator in the world
with a market share of more than 20%.

For more information: http://www.francetelecom-mobilesat.com.

ABOUT TELENOR SATELLITE SERVICES

Telenor Satellite Services is the world's leading provider of global
mobile satellite communications for customers on land, at sea and in
the air. Telenor offers high-quality voice, data, e-mail, fax and
telex services primarily via the Inmarsat satellite system and its
earth stations located at Eik in Norway, at Southbury, Connecticut,
and Santa Paula, California in the United States. Additionally,
Telenor is the largest single shareholder of Inmarsat Ventures Plc,
holding the maximum allowable of 15 percent.

ABOUT TELENOR

Headquartered in Oslo, Norway, Telenor is an international provider
of high quality telecommunications, data and media communication
services. Telenor is one of Norway's largest companies with annual
revenues of approximately NOK 46 billion and a work-force of 21,000
located domestically and abroad in 2001. Telenor is listed at the
Oslo Stock Exchange (TEL) and NASDAQ in New York (TELN).

ABOUT IRIDIUM SATELLITE LLC

Iridium Satellite LLC is the only provider of truly global satellite
voice and data solutions with complete coverage of the earth
(including oceans, airways and Polar Regions). Through a
constellation of 66 low-earth orbiting (LEO) satellites operated by
The Boeing Company, Iridium delivers essential communications
services to and from remote areas where no other form of
communication is available. The service is ideally suited for
industries such as maritime, aviation, government/military,
emergency/humanitarian services, mining, forestry, oil & gas and
heavy construction. Iridium currently provides service to the US
Department of Defense under a multi-year contract. Iridium works with
more than 20 seasoned service partners to sell and support the
service globally. For more information, please visit www.iridium.com
or call 866-947-4348 (in the U.S.); +1 480-752-5155
(internationally). For more information: http://www.iridium.com/.

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