[SatNews] Sales figures for Thuraya’s XT mobile satellite handheld continue to increase at a brisk pace since its launch. One of Thuraya’s leading service providers, Connect Telecom, recently announced the sale of an unprecedented 6,000 Thuraya XT handhelds since the start of the year. Connect Telecom sells the device to key markets such as Africa, the Middle East and South Asia, and within key vertical segments including large enterprises, governments, NGOs, media and the oil and gas sector with very favorable feedback.

The innovative handheld currently offers excellent voice clarity and quality as its omni-directional antenna making all voice calls with Thuraya XT clear and reliable. The XT uniquely enables users to ‘walk and talk’ while maintaining the same level of voice quality, despite the direction the antenna is facing. Even when the aerial is not fully extended, the device can continue to function normally for incoming calls.

Since its launch a year ago, Thuraya XT continues to be the smallest and lightest satellite handheld on the market weighing a mere 193 grams, reaffirming its ergonomic design which raises the bar in the handheld sector. Its lightweight design ensures the device can easily be transported and fit into one’s pocket or backpack.

Mr. Joachim de Jenlis, Managing Director of the UAE-based Connect Telecom, said: “Since its launch into the market, all of our customers have praised Thuraya XT’s dependable, high quality manufacturing, and this has been proven by the fact that not a single XT phone has been returned. This made us confidently extend the warranty of the phone from 12 to 24 months.”