Stratos Global Corporation, a provider of advanced mobile and fixed-site remote communications solutions, has received advance orders for more than 1,000 of the IsatPhone Pro, Inmarsat's new handheld satellite phone.

The new IsatPhone Pro is said to be the first in the Global Satellite Phone (News - Alert) Services or GSPS family which will be commercially available in June. Purpose-built for the most reliable satellite communications network in the world, it is believed to deliver clear voice quality and also the phone is designed to work in just about any conditions.

'The large, advance sales commitments we have received for the IsatPhone Pro are very encouraging. These customers know that Stratos (News - Alert) already has built a strong global customer base in the satellite phone market. They are confident that we will provide them with reliable equipment, affordable airtime and innovative value-added services to ensure the best possible performance from these important new offerings,' said Jim Parm, president and chief executive officer at Stratos.

Stratos officials mentioned that the company will stock its warehouses around the globe with the IsatPhone Pro to quickly and efficiently meet customer demand as inventory is available during and after the June launch.

As part of the pre-launch testing program, numerous successful Inmarsat (News - Alert) GSPS calls were made by Stratos.

Inmarsat GSPS from Stratos is believed to offer a competitive alternative to the handheld, fixed and maritime phone solutions now available in the marketplace. The services will offer high-quality voice connectivity via small, affordable equipment, just right for remote workers in the oil & gas, mining, government, media and first-responder communities.

The global coverage of this phone is made possible by the Inmarsat-4 satellites, which are designed with IP communications in mind and are optimized to deliver high-quality and reliable data communications.

Upon launching, customers using the IsatPhone Pro will benefit also from The Stratos Advantage, a wide range of value-added services that ensure optimal communications performance and cost efficiency. The foundation of The Stratos Advantage is Stratos Dashboard, which will enable customers to manage their use of satellite airtime by providing real-time information on voice and data traffic used, with associated costs.

Moreover, Stratos Dashboard will provide instant provisioning, as well as rebilling and reporting options to minimize unexpected invoices and potential financial risk. Stratos Dashboard supports both postpaid and prepaid rate-plan options.