Thuraya’s geo-synchronous satellite provides border-to-border coverage to a footprint area of 99 nations. Thuraya's coverage spans Europe, North and Central Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent. Thuraya's services extend beyond boundaries of terrestrial networks and reach remote areas not accessible by conventional modes of mobile telecommunications.

Thuraya offers quality dual-mode terminals that offer satellite and GSM connectivity. This flexibility ensures continuous and cost-effective roaming for users. Essentially, Thuraya subscribers would continue using their national land-based mobile network, but will be able to automatically switch to Thuraya satellite mode in areas that are outside the terrestrial system.

Another advantage is that outside Thuraya’s coverage area, subscribers would still have the convenience of roaming in other GSM networks areas. This combination of advanced and flexible system designs ensures reliable, global mobile services to subscribers.

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Thuraya  offers subscribers freedom of mobility and uninterrupted service.  Thuraya's satellite technology supplements conventional terrestrial networks, overcoming the challenges of large geographical areas and insurmountable terrain.    

System Architecture

A Superior Mobile Satellite System

Thuraya-1 satellite was launched on 21st October 2000; on board a Sea Launch Zenit-3SL rocket from the equator in the middle of the Pacific Ocean .It was the heaviest commercial payload ever launched and the first commercial satellite to employ digital beam forming. Thuraya's commercial services began in a gradual roll out in a number of countries in 2001.

Thuraya's second satellite Thuraya 2 was launched on the 10th of June 2003 while a third satellite is being built by Boeing Satellite Systems to expand system capacity.

The Thuraya mobile satellite system is a turnkey project built by Boeing Satellite Systems, formerly Hughes Space and Communications International, Inc. (HSCI), at the cost of US$ 1 billion. Designed for a 12-15 year lifespan, the Thuraya 2 satellite is positioned in Geosynchronous Orbit, 35,786 km (22,236 miles) above the Earth, at 44 degrees East Longitude and inclined at 6.3 degrees. The contract includes manufacture of two high power geo-synchronous satellites, the launch of the first satellite, manufacture and installation of the ground network equipment, the manufacture of nearly a quarter of a million mobile handsets and the project insurance.

Thuraya’s system has been adapted for efficient operation in both satellite and GSM environments. It provides high flexibility in managing network resources through a re-programmable satellite payload. This supports modifications to the system’s coverage area even in the post-launch period and optimises performance over high demand areas.

Thuraya’s satellites have been specially designed to achieve network capacity of about 13,750 telephone channels. Thuraya’s hand held mobile terminals are comparable to GSM handsets in terms of size and appearance, as well as in voice quality.

Satellite features

• 250-300 spot beams
  
• Digital beam forming (which provides for dynamic area coverage and optimises over change in traffic demand)
  
• Single hop link for mobile-to-mobile communications
  
• High power capacity
  
• Dynamic satellite power control providing 10dB link margins
  
• The Thuraya system is comprised of three key elements - Space Segment, Ground Segment and User Segment.

Service Features

• Voice telephony
• Fax
• Data
• Short Messaging
• Location Determination
• Emergency Services
• High Power Alerting

Regulatory Data

Frequencies:

Mobile Links

• Earth-to-space 1626.5-1660.5 MHz
• Space-to-Earth 1525.0-1559.0 MHz

Feeder Links

• Earth-to-space 6425.0-6725.0 MHz
• Space-to-Earth 3400.0-3625.0 MHz