São Paulo – Thuraya, a satellite mobile service provider based in the United Arab Emirates, has announced an agreement with companies Claro and Telefónica last Wednesday (17th) to use the latter companies’ GSM network at 11 countries in North, Central and South America, including Brazil.
The agreement covers usage of the GSM networks of Claro and Telefónica, which is branded Vivo in Brazil, for voice and data. The roaming service became available to the Arab company’s clients on April 12th. The contract provides that Claro and Telefónica users will soon also be able to use Thuraya’s satellite network in the countries covered by the company.
“We are pleased to be working with our partners to provide our users with expanded coverage across the Americas. Thuraya is the only mobile satellite service provider that offers roaming services with terrestrial wireless networks. With the expansion of our GSM coverage to the Americas, Thuraya subscribers have the freedom to choose between satellite and GSM coverage around the globe,” said T. Sanford Jewett, the Marketing vice president for Thuraya, according to a press release from the company.
To use Claro’s and Telefónica’s GSM networks, Thuraya clients need only insert their operator’s SIM Card in any GSM or smartphone device. In turn, Claro and Telefónica customers using Thuraya’s satellite network in the future will be required to use a satellite handset from the company.
In addition to Brazil, the agreement between Thuraya, Claro and Telefónica also covers the companies’ networks in Argentina, Chile, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Uruguay, US Virgin Islands, and Alaska.
Thuraya now provides coverage to its customers in 161 countries in the Americas, Africa, Asia, Europe and Oceania.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum