Inmarsat plc (LSE: ISAT), the leading provider of global mobile satellite communications services, today reported consolidated financial results for the year ended 31 December 2009.

Inmarsat plc – Full Year 2009 Highlights

• Total revenue $1,038.1m up 4.2% (2008: $996.7m)
• Inmarsat Global MSS revenue $682.8m up 10.4% (2008: $618.4m)
• EBITDA $594.2m up 11.9% (2008: $531.2m)
• Adjusted EPS $0.38 up 26.7% (2008: $0.30)
• 2nd interim dividend of 20.63 cents US$, up 13.4% on 2008 final dividend
• Full year dividend increase 10%
• Free cash flow up 54% to $349.0m

Q4 2009 Inmarsat Group Highlights

• Q4 revenue $181.5m up 13.0% (2008: $160.6m)
• Q4 MSS revenue $176.9m up 12.5% (2008: $157.2m)
• Q4 EBITDA $119.7m up 18.0% (2008: $101.4m)
• $650m refinancing completed, lowering cost of debt
• Acquisition of Segovia government solutions business

Andrew Sukawaty, Inmarsat’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said, “We finished the year strongly and continue to see good trading conditions in all our markets. 2009 was a transformational year for our satellite network, our service portfolio and our distribution arrangements, giving us a strong platform to maintain our market leadership. We are entering 2010 with a positive outlook, revenue growth momentum and new growth opportunities ahead of us.”

Inmarsat Global results

Our Inmarsat Global business delivered growth in MSS revenue of 10.4% for the year ended 31 December 2009. Our maritime revenue was up 7.4% and was driven by strong take up and usage of our Fleet and FleetBroadband services. Our FleetBroadband service has gained widespread market acceptance since becoming globally available at the beginning of 2009. We are also pleased with the progress of our new FleetBroadband 150 service which has been successful in attracting new business from smaller vessels.

The land mobile sector revenue growth of 3.3% was mainly due to growth in our BGAN service. BGAN revenue for the year increased by 33% as a result of growth in subscribers and migration from older services. BGAN ARPU strengthened in the second half of the year and reached $288 per month in the fourth quarter. We also saw growth in revenue from our low data rate services, showing the benefit of our collaboration with SkyWave which was completed during the year.

Our aeronautical and leasing sectors continued to see strong revenue growth, being up 18% and 30%, respectively, for the year. Customer acceptance and take up of our SwiftBroadband service have been ahead of our expectations and additions of SwiftBroadband terminals began to exceed our established Swift 64 service in the second half of the year. In-flight cellular services for airline passengers made good progress during the year, but remain at an early stage in terms of revenue contribution.

Net operating costs for Inmarsat Global were down 1.9%, contributing to growth in EBITDA of 14.8% to $495.5m.

Stratos results

Our Stratos business recorded revenue growth of 1.0% for the year. Growth of 3.8% in MSS revenue was offset by a decline in Broadband revenues. Although Broadband revenues were lower year over year, the profitability and cash flow of this division has improved. Operating costs at Stratos increased marginally by 0.7% for the year and Stratos ended the year with growth in EBITDA of 2.2% to $100.5m.

Dividend

The dividend announced today will be paid as a second interim dividend and will be paid in lieu of a final dividend for the 2009 financial year. The dividend payment date will be 1 April to holders of record on 19 March 2010. Together with the interim dividend of 12.73 US$ cents paid in October 2009, the total dividend for 2009 will be 33.36 US$ cents, an increase of 10.0% on the total 2008 dividend.

Liquidity

The Group ended the year with a strong balance sheet and significant available liquidity. At 31 December 2009, the Group had net borrowings of $1,319.5m, made up of cash of $226.8m and total borrowings of $1,546.3m. Taking into consideration our cash on hand and available but undrawn borrowing facilities of $210.0m, the Group had total available liquidity of $436.8m at the end of the year. During the fourth quarter we refinanced over $600m of debt that fell due in 2012 with new debt at lower cost and not maturing until 2017. The Group has no debt maturities in the next twelve months.

Outlook

We believe demand from commercial and government customers is continuing to expand, particularly for our data services. With a portfolio of broadband services now deployed globally in all our markets, we are further able to meet our customer needs and continue our revenue growth. In addition, we are excited about entering the handheld satellite phone voice market and believe this represents an attractive new growth opportunity for the future. In view of these factors we believe the Group can continue to deliver solid revenue growth in 2010.

Allowing for approximately $10m of planned capital expenditure that has been deferred from 2009 to 2010, we expect our 2010 cash capital expenditure to be in the region of $160 to $170m, including capital expenditure for our Stratos division and deferred satellite payments.

Other Information

A webcast recording of our results presentation to be held on 9 March at 9:30am will be posted to our website after the event. To access the webcast please go to the investor relations section of our website at www.inmarsat.com. Inmarsat management will also host a conference call on Tuesday, 9 March at 2:00pm London time (United States 9:00am EST). To access the call, please dial +44 (0)20 7162 0025 and enter the access code 858360. A recording of the call will be available for one week after the event. To access the recording please dial +44 (0)20 7031 4064 and enter the access code 858360. The call will also be available by webcast accessible via the investor relations section of our website.

Our Financial Reports

Our subsidiaries Inmarsat Group Limited and Stratos Global Corporation are required by the terms of their outstanding debt securities to report consolidated financial results. Inmarsat plc is the ultimate parent company of the Group. A copy of the financial report for Stratos Global Corporation for the year ended 31 December 2009 can be accessed via the investor relations section of our website. We expect Inmarsat Group Limited to report full year 2009 results on or before 30 April 2010 and a copy of these results can also be accessed via our website at that time.

To assist analysts and investors in their understanding of the results announced today, the following unaudited financial tables for the fourth quarter are provided for Inmarsat Group Limited.

Forward-looking Statements

Certain statements in this announcement constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or industry results, to be materially different from those projected in the forward-looking statements. These factors include: general economic and business conditions; changes in technology; timing or delay in signing, commencement, implementation and performance of programmes, or the delivery of products or services under them; structural change in the satellite industry; relationships with customers; competition; and ability to attract personnel. You are cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this announcement. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect any change in our expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances.

Contact: Inmarsat, London, UK

Investor Enquiries
Simon Ailes, +44 20 7728 1518
simon_ailes@inmarsat.com

Media Enquiries
Christopher McLaughlin, +44 20 7728 1015
christopher_mclaughlin@inmarsat.com

10th March 2010 – Inmarsat (LSE:ISAT), the leading provider of global mobile satellite communications services, today announced the selection of Beam Communications, a wholly-owned subsidiary of World Reach Limited (ASX:WRR), as the provider of docking units for its forthcoming IsatPhone Pro handheld satellite telephone.

Beam Communications will design, manufacture and distribute a range of specialised docking units for IsatPhone Pro, Inmarsat’s first global handheld satellite phone, which is planned for launch in June. As well as a standard docking unit, Beam will produce vehicular and maritime versions, and a version to accommodate indoor use.

“Beam is a leading manufacturer of satellite docking units and equipment, with many years of experience, so we are delighted to have them working with us on our global handheld,” said Helen Stalker, Commercial Director of Global Satellite Phone Services for Inmarsat. “They are yet another best-in-breed partner that we have secured to work on the ultimate combination that is IsatPhone Pro.”

“The docking units that Beam provides will broaden the appeal of the handset to different markets, and extend its use in a wide range of environments and applications”.

Michael Capocchi, Managing Director of Beam Communications, said, “Securing this contract with Inmarsat to develop IsatPhone Pro docking units is a strategic opportunity to diversify the Beam business and work with the world’s leading provider of mobile satellite communications. Inmarsat’s IsatPhone Pro will be distributed through many of Beam’s existing global distribution channels and is therefore extremely complementary to the existing business.”

Media Contacts
John Warehand
PR Manager
Inmarsat
Tel No: +44 20 7728 1579
Email: john_warehand@inmarsat.com

Donna Garcia
Senior Consultant
Rice Communications for Inmarsat plc
Tel No: +65 9734 8808
Email: donna.garcia@ricecomms.com

About Inmarsat
Inmarsat plc (LSE: ISAT) is the leading provider of global mobile satellite communications services. Since 1979, Inmarsat has been providing reliable voice and high-speed data communications to governments, enterprises and other organizations, with a range of services that can be used on land, at sea or in the air. The company’s services are delivered through a global network of more than 400 distribution partners and service providers operating in 100 countries. For the year ended 31 December 2009, Inmarsat plc had total revenue of US$1,038.1 million (2008: US$996.7 million) with an EBITDA of US$594.2 million (2008: US$531.2 million). For more information, please visit www.inmarsat.com.

About Beam Communications Pty Ltd
Beam Communications Pty Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary of World Reach Limited (ASX: WRR) ; Beam Communications designs, manufactures and distributes a wide range of Satellite and GSM voice, data, tracking terminals and accessories for the global telecommunications market. Through a global network of Resellers Beam solutions are deployed into a wide range of vertical markets including Maritime, Transport, Government, Defence, Mining, Construction, Forestry, Emergency Services, Relief Aid, Telemetry and Rural Telephony. For more information, www.beamcommunications.com.

(SINGAPORE) Technologies to make wireless as fast as wired communications are being hatched in a research venture by National Instruments (NI) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU).

The technologies – which promise cheaper, faster, more reliable and more pervasive wireless communication than we have today – will be developed by NTU students and staff under the NTU-NI Wireless Research Programme.

The joint venture was sealed yesterday at NTU.

NI will contribute $2.07 million of instruments that will be installed at the Positioning and Wireless Technology Centre (PWTC) under NTU’s School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE).

Read the rest of this article on The Business Times

Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and National Instruments (NI) are collaborating to develop the next-generation wireless communication technologies which are cheaper, faster, more reliable and more pervasive.

The two organisations announced that they would focus on research to explore ways to bring the speed and quality of wireless network communications up to par with that of wired communications and develop wireless devices that offer ultra-high-speed mobile broadband services at virtually zero cost to the user.

Under the NTU-NI Wireless Research Programme, NI will provide S$2.07 million (US$1.48 million) worth of equipment that will be installed at the PWTC.

The research team will be using the equipment to research into the practicality and performance of various wireless techniques.

Read the full article on the MIS-Asia.com

Good news for users of mobile devices who enjoy accessing multimedia content and social networking applications on the move!

Researchers at NTU are exploring ways to bring the speed and quality of wireless network communications up to par with that of wired communications. Better yet, their goal is to develop wireless devices that offer ultra-high-speed mobile broadband services at virtually zero cost to the user!

All these could become possible as Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and National Instruments (NI) join hands to develop the next-generation wireless communication technologies which are cheaper, faster, more reliable and more pervasive.

Both parties formalised the partnership by inking a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) at NTU today.

Under the NTU-NI Wireless Research Programme, NI will provide $2.07 million worth of equipment that will be installed at the Positioning and Wireless Technology Centre (PWTC), a centre under NTU’s School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE). One key goal of the NTU-NI Wireless Research Programme is to develop future wireless communication protocols. The research team will be using the equipment to research into the practicality and performance of various wireless techniques.

PWTC’s Programme Director for wireless network research, Assistant Professor Ting See Ho, explained, “One of the major problems faced worldwide currently is the increasing shortage of usable frequency spectrum, which is further aggravated by current spectrum allocation regulations. My research team aims to address these issues by developing the next generation of wireless communication technologies that are able to relay radio signals and scan for available ‘holes’ in airwaves without interfering with the incumbent users. This would mean that users can enjoy the highest quality, best performance and most cost-efficient networks.”

“This project will not only bring about a technology breakthrough; it will also have a profound impact on current business models and inspire new designs for various wireless applications for the benefit of both mass-market and military users,” added Assistant Professor Ting.

“Wireless communication research is gaining tremendous interest from the industry and NTU is a top-notch technological university with strong international standing in this field,” said Chandran Nair, managing director for NI ASEAN. “We are pleased to equip PWTC with NI’s technologies and support NTU’s research efforts towards developing wireless technologies that will impact everyday life.”

“This partnership demonstrates NTU’s active collaboration and sharing of resources and expertise with our industry partners,” said Professor Kam Chan Hin, Chair of EEE, NTU.  “We look forward to leveraging on NI technologies in our research centre to expand our research and training capabilities at NTU. We will also make good use of the equipment for teaching purposes to prepare our graduates for professional careers in high-tech industries and to expose them to advanced research.”

“The NTU-NI collaboration is a testament to our long-term community engagement. We look forward to helping enhance science, technology and engineering education and research through partnerships that will take academic research to a whole new level,” said Victor Mieres, NI’s vice president of sales for Asia.

Media Contacts

National Instruments
Jessie Lee
Marketing Communications Specialist
Tel: +65 6226 5886
Email: jessie.lee@ni.com

Nanyang Technological University
Esther Ang
Manager, Corporate Communications Office
Tel: +65 6790 6804; Mobile: +65 9113 9654
Email: estherang@ntu.edu.sg

Rice Communications
Donna Garcia
Senior Consultant
Tel: +65 9734 8808
Email: donna.garcia@ricecomms.com

About Nanyang Technological University

Nanyang Technological University (NTU) is a research-intensive university ranked among the world’s top 100 universities.  The Yunnan Garden campus, NTU’s main campus, is located in the south-western part of Singapore and will be the Youth Olympic Village of the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in 2010. The NTU@one-north campus, home to educational and alumni clubhouse facilities, is located near Singapore’s biomedical research hub, Biopolis; and the new engineering and physical sciences hub, Fusionopolis.

NTU has four colleges, namely:

• The Nanyang Business School (the College of Business), the first and only Singapore business school to be ranked in the top 25 of the Financial Times Global MBA 2008 rankings
• The College of Engineering, with six schools focused on technology and innovation and a research output among the top four in the world
• The College of Humanities, Arts, & Social Sciences, home to Singapore’s first professional art school offering degree courses in art, design and interactive digital media; the Humanities and Social Science School; and the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, a top journalism and media school in Asia
• The College of Science is home to award-winning faculty, world-class laboratories, and Olympiad medal winners.

The S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, one of three autonomous institutes of NTU, is a world authority on strategic studies and security research. NTU is also home to the internationally-acclaimed National Institute of Education, Singapore’s only teacher-training institute. The Earth Observatory of Singapore, established in 2009 with $150 million in state funding, is dedicated to hazards-related earth science.

As Singapore’s main science and technology university, NTU makes significant contributions to the nation’s renewed drive for research and innovation spearheaded by the Singapore National Research Foundation (NRF). NTU’s strengths in biomedical sciences, environmental and water technologies, and interactive and digital media mirror the NRF’s research focus. Impressed by the vibrant entrepreneurship environment at NTU, the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, widely known as ‘The Foundation of Entrepreneurship’, has chosen NTU to be the first Kauffman campus outside the United States of America.

NTU has a strong and broad international reach covering academic and research partnerships with top institutions in the US, Europe and Asia, such as MIT, Stanford University, Cornell University, Caltech, University of Washington, Georgia Institute of Technology, and Carnegie Mellon University; Cambridge University, Imperial College and Swiss Federal Institute of Technology; and Peking University, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Waseda University, and Indian Institute of Technology.

For more information, visit www.ntu.edu.sg

About National Instruments

National Instruments (www.ni.com) is transforming the way engineers and scientists design, prototype and deploy systems for measurement, automation and embedded applications. NI empowers customers with off-the-shelf software such as NI LabVIEW and modular cost-effective hardware, and sells to a broad base of more than 25,000 different companies worldwide, with no one customer representing more than 3 percent of revenue and no one industry representing more than 10 percent of revenue. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, NI has more than 5,000 employees and direct operations in over 40 countries. For the past eleven years, FORTUNE magazine has named NI one of the 100 best companies to work for in America.