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Canadian Department of National Defence (DND) Selects Stratos for Inmarsat Leased Satellite Capacity Services
Enhanced Leasing Service (ELS) from Stratos provides twice the available bandwidth on a standard leased satellite channel to support advanced data and voice communications on land and at sea
BETHESDA, MD (March 14, 2006) - Stratos Global Corp. (TSX: SGB), a leading global communications provider and the world's leading distributor of Inmarsat satellite services, today announced it has been awarded a National Individual Standing Offer (NISO) by the Canadian Department of National Defence (DND) to provide Inmarsat leased satellite capacity services in support of land and sea-based operations.
The three-year award, with an estimated total value of CDN$25 million, will facilitate the renewal of longer-term leased capacity services that the Canadian DND currently has with Stratos, as well as providing a mechanism for additional capacity as required. The offer also includes two one-year options for extension after the conclusion of the initial term in 2009.
As part of the award, Stratos will provide the Canadian DND with its Enhanced Leasing Service (ELS), which uses advanced modem modulation techniques to increase throughput on a standard 100 kHz Inmarsat leased satellite channel from 64 kbps to 128 kbps without the need for additional space segment. With ELS, military and large commercial maritime fleets have twice the available bandwidth to support voice, data and fax communications, including ship-based crew calling and e-mail, using Inmarsat-B satellite systems.
In addition, ELS allows multiple terminals to simultaneously share a single leased channel, with per-terminal, user-controlled data rates of 32, 64, 96, and 128 kbps, in any combination up to the combined maximum rate of 128 kbps.
Stratos is the leading global provider of Inmarsat leased channel services and the only Inmarsat Land Earth Station Operator (LESO) with facilities and installed equipment to access all five Inmarsat second-generation satellites, which together provide coverage in nearly every part of the world.
"Stratos has proven itself as a reliable provider of advanced data and voice communications services for the Canadian Department of National Defence in the past," said LCdr Dave Munro of the Canadian Department of National Defence. "This established reputation, combined with the higher bandwidth and increased flexibility of Stratos' Enhanced Leasing Service, were major factors in our decision to select Stratos for our Inmarsat leased satellite services requirements."
"We're proud to have been selected by the Canadian Department of National Defence to provide Inmarsat leased channel services in support of their land and sea-based operations," said Jim Parm, president and chief executive officer for Stratos. "As the market leader, Stratos is continually working to introduce new service offerings, such as our Enhanced Leasing Service, that will provide additional value for our customers and allow us to remain the satellite communications provider of choice for government, military and commercial organizations throughout the world."
About Stratos
Stratos Global Corporation (www.stratosglobal.com) is a publicly traded company (TSX: SGB) and the leading global provider of a wide range of advanced mobile and fixed-site remote communications solutions for users operating beyond the reach of traditional networks. With its owned-and-operated infrastructure and extensive portfolio of industry-leading satellite and microwave technologies (including Inmarsat, Iridium, Globalstar, MSAT, VSAT, and others), Stratos serves the voice and high-speed data connectivity requirements of a diverse array of markets, including government, military, energy, industrial, maritime, aeronautical, enterprise, media and recreational users throughout the world.
For additional information :
Carla Riggs
Director, Corporate Communications
+1 709 748 4857
carla.riggs@stratosglobal.com