Growing demand for dispatch radio services in the public-safety market has spurred Mobile Satellite Ventures (MSV) and Hughes Network Systems (HNS) to develop a new L-band satellite terminal that will operate on the MSV mobile satellite network.

The plans, unveiled at APCO International’s 70th Annual Conference & Exposition in Montreal this week, involve the companies entering into a manufacturing contract to build terminals that would offer several new features, including Global Positioning System (GPS) functionality, smaller antenna size and a compact handset that can support both voice and dispatch radio services. The GPS functionality reportedly will give MSV customers the ability to offer location-based services aimed at enabling public-safety and other users to track the location of their vehicles automatically. The new terminals will go commercial in the fourth quarter of 2005.