The Iridium Satellite LLC voice and data satellite system is having a positive effect for a small broadband company. Eagle Broadband Inc. [EAG], a League City, Texas, supplier of broadband products, services and content, received an initial purchase order from Belgium-based Euro-GSM for low-Earth-orbit, satellite-based communication services that use Eagle’s technology. Known as the Orb Phone “Exchange,” the new system offers global communications coverage for a large number of users from non- line-of-sight environments using Iridium’s constellation of 66 satellites deployed on six orbital planes.

“Each orbital plane has 11 satellites, ensuring that every region on the Earth is covered by at least one satellite at all times. The existing constellation is designed to stay fully active without additional units for at least five years and spare satellites have just been launched by Boeing [BA] to ensure full Earth coverage and spares until 2011,” said H. Dean Cubley, chairman and CEO of Eagle Broadband.

Belgium-based Euro-GSM, Eagle’s exclusive marketing partner for the Orb Phone Exchange, expects to receive delivery of the units early this year. Euro-GSM has extensive contacts in the aviation industry and is the first company to earn certification for low-orbit, satellite-based communications systems for corporate jets.

“This initial sale represents only a fraction of the world’s potential market from both the commercial aviation community as well as the military,” said Yves Hendrickx, president of Euro-GSM. “Every commercial airliner is a candidate for the Exchange since the system’s software and hardware are much more effective and substantially less expensive than communication systems currently available to the aviation industry. Plus, the enhanced service can be offered to airline passengers at a greatly reduced rate.” –Paul Dykewicz

(H. Dean Cubley, Eagle Broadband, 281/538-6000)