Dubai-based Thuraya Telecommunications, a leading mobile satellite services (MSS) operator, is expanding its retail and online presence through a groundbreaking agreement with leading online retailer Expansys.

The move coincides with the launch of a new generation of SatSleeve models – SatSleeve+ and SatSleeve Hotspot, which build on the original SatSleeve concept by offering greater choice, improved quality and a new hotspot option.

SatSleeve+ and SatSleeve Hotspot appeal to travellers, adventurers and outdoor sportspeople, as well as anyone who simply wants the assurance that their smartphone will connect even when terrestrial networks are unavailable or damaged.

The Expansys agreement means that SatSleeve+ and SatSleeve Hotspot will be available immediately in 28 countries across Europe. The full scope of the Expansys distribution agreement also means that Thuraya SatSleeve models will be available in high profile third party online stores, such as Amazon, Orange and Carrefour.

Thuraya’s chief executive officer Samer Halawi, said: “When your products break convention by going beyond standard thinking, you need to be equally creative in developing new routes to get those products to market. Working with Expansys, we’re making sure SatSleeve+ and SatSleeve Hotspot become fully accessible to a significant consumer audience.”

The agreement marks new ground for Expansys too: this is the first time the online retailer has offered satellite handset devices.

Richard Daly, Expansys chief executive officer, said: “It is clear there is a large market out there for the new SatSleeve models, and it’s one that needs easy, direct access to the product itself. We can connect the Thuraya SatSleeve product range with consumers across Europe in a way that simply hasn’t been done before.”

Thuraya and Expansys will also deliver an extensive range of marketing support throughout the year, including complementary cross-selling opportunities as well as the depth of a sustained online demand generation campaign.

Halawi said: “This retail campaign with Expansys will be supported by targeted marketing for SatSleeve+ and SatSleeve Hotspot across a prolonged period. This will allow us to drive product sales and boost awareness of both the SatSleeve and the Thuraya brands, creating a fantastic opportunity to save and improve more lives than ever before.”

Core government, media, energy, and NGO sectors remain important targets for the new SatSleeve product family.  This new online retail campaign will run in parallel with continuing support through existing distribution partners, as well as innovative agreements Thuraya has developed with mobile network operators (MNOs) in key markets. – TradeArabia News Service