Marlink Extends Crew Calling Programs

Marlink, a subsidiary of Telenor Satellite Services, announced that it is extending its "Super Quiet Time" and "Inmarsat A to Fleet" maritime communications programs offered via Telenor.

Both programs, first offered in early 2003, are designed to make "at sea" satellite communications more affordable and easier for mariners. Marlink's Super Quiet Time (SQT) Program: Mariners can make calls for standard prices less than USD 0.99 per minute - all weekend Marlink is extending its Super Quiet Time program through March 2005, offering customers substantially reduced prices for prepaid voice calls over Inmarsat-B, -M, Mini-M, GAN, Fleet and Swift services.

Marlink has significantly increased the SQT calling hours in all ocean regions, including 24-hours-a-day SQT calling on Saturdays and Sundays. Additionally, mariners can make prepaid SQT calls via Marlink 10-hours-a-day from Monday through Friday, from 20:00 to 06:00 GMT.

As part of its SQT program, Marlink is offering prepaid customers a Crew Phone free of charge with the purchase of USD 1,000 or more of Marlink Prepaid Calling Cards per installation. The Crew Phone is designed to work with Marlink's Prepaid Calling Cards using Inmarsat's voice services. Lightweight and compact, the Crew Phone can be installed in a separate location from the Inmarsat satellite terminal, allowing crew and other users easy access without disrupting business or vessel operations.

Marlink offers a variety of Prepaid Solutions making it easier for mariners to make calls while at sea and include such features as mobile-to-fixed and fixed-to-mobile calling, multiple methods for convenient card recharging, and direct and simplified dialing.

Marlink's Inmarsat A to Fleet Program: Through Marlink's "Inmarsat A to Fleet" program, maritime users can receive up to $3,000 of free airtime when upgrading their on board satellite communications from the aging Inmarsat A analog service to the company's Fleet F77 digital voice and data technology. This offer allows maritime customers to take full advantage of Marlink's industry leading portfolio of voice and high-speed data services and applications available to ships at sea. Marlink's Fleet F77 service via Inmarsat delivers a wide range of services for voice, fax, and data communications at speeds of up to 64 kbps, including the rapid mobile Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) and the new, resource-efficient Mobile Packet Data Service (MPDS).

Fleet's ISDN service supports broadcast quality audio and video enabling video conferencing, e-commerce, high volume data transfer, distance learning, and remote performance monitoring.

Marlink Fleet F77 service also offers the flexibility of MPDS, providing maritime customers the benefit of paying only for data they transmit and receive instead of paying for the total time they are connected to the satellite. This feature is particularly valuable for mariners using global Internet applications including Web access, file transfer and e-mail. Fleet's packet data capability enables users to share satellite resources, increasing efficiency and reducing cost.

This program also permits maritime users to take full advantage of some of the most advanced communications technology available today to ships at sea. With Fleet F77, customers also have access to a wide variety of value added services including a selection of prepaid calling plans, simple ship-to-shore calling, easy-to-use Internet access and e-mailing offered by Marlink's multiple service providers. The free airtime offer applies to customers who upgrade to Marlink Fleet F77 from Inmarsat A service before December 31, 2004. Free service must be used within 12 months following the activation of the new Fleet terminal. Inmarsat has announced that it plans to end Inmarsat A analog service in December 2007.