Inmarsat, a provider of global mobile satellite communications services, has appointed Station 711, the mobile satellite arm of RRsat Global Communications Network Ltd., a flexible and fast growing mobile satellite communications provider, as a distribution partner for its Global Satellite Phone Services (GSPS).

As part of the pact, Station 711 is cooperating with Inmarsat (News - Alert) to launch the first product in the GSPS family, which is IsatPhone Pro, a global handheld satellite phone.

Officials with RRsat Global said that IsatPhone Pro will offer satellite telephony, voicemail, text and email messaging, and the ability to look up and text location data.

Company officials said that Station 711 is expected to offer IsatPhone Pro in the second half of 2010.

According to company officials, IsatPhone Pro is aimed at customers based in remote areas requiring a reliable and rapidly-deployable global handheld phone for safety, improved on-site coordination, or contact with headquarter offices.

Typical users are expected to be government and military customers, journalists, NGO workers and remote-based employees of mining or oil & gas companies.

IsatPhone Pro will join the existing Station 711 Inmarsat 3rd and 4th generation portfolio of maritime, land and aero services.

"We are very happy to join the small group of companies which are appointed by Inmarsat as distribution partners for its GSPS Services”, said Zvika Nave, senior director at RRsat, in a statement.

Nave said that this nomination enables the company to enlarge its product and service portfolio, while better serving the growing customer base.

“We look forward to bringing to the market innovative value added services in this sector, as we do in other markets," he said.

Helen Stalker, commercial director for global satellite phone services at Inmarsat said that RRsat and Station 711 have good insight and experience in a number of the target markets for IsatPhone Pro, and Inmarsat is excited to welcome them as the latest partner to add the new service to their portfolio.