According to press reports in the Middle East, Thuraya Satellite Telecommunications is investigating the possibility of going public, with a decision likely to be made in 2006. The reports cite comments made by Thuraya’s CEO Yousuf Al Sayed Sept. 25.

The company has also announced plans to launch a second generation satellite phone in the first quarter of next year. The new phone will combine satellite, GSM and GPS, with built-in GPRS, MMS and Java features. The GPRS feature allows an always-on access to the Internet. Users will be able to download and upload information using Thuraya’s satellite network anywhere in the coverage area. Similarly, the GPRS capabilities can also be used in the GSM mode.