KUALA LUMPUR: XOX Mobile Sdn Bhd is collaborating with Advance Tech Communication Sdn Bhd (ATC) to launch a range of innovative 4G and 5G smartphones over the next nine months.
Called XPLORE, the mobile devices are aimed for the everyday user with the additional advantage of satellite communication capabilities.
In a statement today (Feb 18), XOX executive director Steve Tan said the company intended to distribute the new offerings across Southeast Asia through its existing partnerships in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia by the second quarter of 2020.
“Our vision is to provide a unified network plan by integrating XOX’s prepaid plans and messaging platform with ATC’s extensive satellite emergency services. Our users will then be able to activate a satellite service as and when necessary, be it for leisure in remote areas, work purposes, day-to-day contact or emergencies.
“In short, we are innovating rapidly to provide affordable satellite smartphones – first for the country and then the region,” he added.
AdvanceTC Limited chief executive officer CP Loi said: “Through seamless integration of 4G, 5G and space networks in Android devices, we provide mobile operators and consumers a unique value proposition to increase network coverage, Internet access and safety services in ways that are simply not possible with terrestrial networks.”
ATC is a 95%-owned subsidiary of AdvanceTC Limited, which is listed on Australia’s National Stock Exchange.
Targeted for consumers across Southeast Asia, the first model, X5, will combine 18 band 4G LTE (long-term evolution) connectivity with iridium satellite networks to enable satellite messaging and emergency services.
This is to be followed by Digital Mobile Radio capabilities which will allow for short band two-way radio communications in the subsequent 90 days.
The device is aimed to integrate real-time communication applications providing a unified messaging, as well as safety location-sharing capabilities across the cellular, broadband, satellite and digital radio networks. – Feb 18, 2020, Bernama.
