China launched the International Marine Satellite (Inmarsat) F
system Thursday, a key step toward bringing China to the world
front of technologies and services concerning mobile satellite
communications applications.
China's newly-launched Inmarsat-F system is currently the most
advanced mobile digital multimedia marine communication system in
the world, and China is the first developing country in the world
to launch such a system.
The F-system is capable of servicing global end-users at sea, in
the air and on land, by telephone, fax, telex, picture transmission
and can even help them connect to the Internet.
Yang Hongyi, director of China Transportation and
Telecommunication Center (CTTC), China's only institution which
built the country's marine satellite system, said the F-system may
not only help upgrade China's communication level on the sea, land
or in the air, but also help expand Inmarsat service to more
sectors like government, media, national defense and petroleum
exploration.
A marine satellite communication system has been used in China
for more than 20 years since Inmarsat Beijing LES (land earth
station) was put into operation in June 1991.
For the moment, Inmarsat Beijing LES is capable of delivering
Inmarsat-A/B/C/M/Mini-M services, and the newly opened F
service.
Yang said based on the Inmarsat-F system, China will make
further efforts to establish the country's "Modern Transportation
Logistics Information Port".
(Xinhua News Agency October 16, 2003)