Asia Cellular Satellite System or "ACeS" is prepared to launch Garuda satellite at the end of October this year by Proton-D1e rocket-launcher from Kazakhstan, ready to provide satellite-based mobile phone service. Compact and small sized handsets developed by Ericsson are produced for 250,000 sets. ACeS System is fully funded project after Lockheed Martin, the United States who is a manufacturer and technology developer, made a joint venture in the Project. ACeS will offer the most competitive price of high quality mobile satellite services while the handset price is set around baht 40,000 and air time charge will be less than $ 1 per minute. ACeS project is expected to commence its service covering 23 countries across Asia Pacific region in April the year 2000.

Mr. Supot Krijpipudh, President of Jasmine International Overseas Company - one of ACeS shareholders and National Service Provider (NSP) in Thailand, disclosed that the completion of Garuda satellite is underway and now is in the process of the final integration of Proton D1e rocket, following system testing. The ACeS satellite will be delivered into its orbit in October 1999. Following in-orbit test, commercial launch is planned for the second quarter of the year 2000.

The satellite is capable of handling 11,000 simultaneous traffic channels which can support upto 2 million subscribers. The satellite is operating in L-band (approx. 1,600 MHz) and has a service life of 12-15 years.

Mr. Supot revealed that the competitive advantage of ACeS system is its high efficiency in providing voice, data and facsimile service at competitive price, air time tariff within 23 countries service areas will be less than $ 1 per minute. Target market will be frequently travelling executives, maritime transport, fishery industry, mining, oil and gas industry, private companies and governmental sector located in remote areas and using as well as rural telephone service. Moreover, with GSM and ACeS dual-mode handset, ACeS will complement GSM to expand the service coverage to be every square meter of Thailand and another 23 Asian countries with high quality voice signal comparable to digital GSM system. The handset has been designed and developed by Ericsson, the world's leader in wireless businesses and co-worked with ACeS project since the start, featuring small, compact and light-weighted of 220 grams, conveniently handheld-designed terminals.

At initial, ACeS has four gateways located in Jakarta in Indonesia, Cubic Bay in the Philippines, Taipei in Taiwan and at Jasmine International Tower, Nonthaburi Province in Thailand. In Thailand, ACeS Regional Services Co., Ltd. is responsible for the construction of the gateway which is in the final stage of construction.