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EXHIBIT 99.2
[IRIDIUM LETTERHEAD]
PRESS RELEASE
THE WORLD'S FIRST GLOBAL SATELLITE TELEPHONE AND
PAGING COMPANY STARTS SERVICE TODAY
Iridium Ushers in New Era of Global Communication
WASHINGTON, November 1, 1998 -- The Global Village just got a whole lot
smaller.
Iridium LLC today announced that the world's first hand-held, global satellite
phone and paging system is now commercially available to customers. With
Iridium phones and pagers, people will have the ability to communicate
virtually anywhere on the face of the planet - using one phone, with one phone
number, receiving one monthly phone bill.
"After 11 years of hard work, we are proud to announce that we are open for
business," said Edward F. Staiano, Iridium LLC Vice Chairman and CEO. "Iridium
will open up the world of business, commerce, disaster relief and humanitarian
assistance with our first-of-its-kind global communications service."
Dr. Staiano noted that Iridium is now fully operational, 24 hours a day, seven
days a week, offering the following key services: satellite voice, cellular
roaming, and calling card. Phones are being produced and shipped to the
regional Iridium Gateways by the two manufacturers, Motorola of the US and
Kyocera of Japan. In addition, global page service will commence in
mid-November.
"The potential uses of Iridium products is boundless," continued Staiano.
"Business people who travel the globe and want to stay in touch with home and
office, industries that operate in remote areas, disaster and relief
organizations that
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require instant communications in troubled areas - all will find Iridium to be
the answer to their communications needs."
Using its constellation of 66 low earth-orbit satellites, the Iridium system
provides reliable communications from virtually any point on the globe. From
ships at sea, to the highest mountains to remote locations, Iridium customers
will be able to make and receive phone calls on their Iridium phone. For people
travelling to urban areas in the developed world, Iridium offers a cellular
roaming service featuring dual-mode phones that can be switched to operate with
terrestrial wireless services.
Whether their phone is in satellite or cellular mode, an Iridium customer will
be reachable at a single phone number, anywhere they happen to be. If their
phone is turned off, they can be contacted 24 hours a day on their Iridium
pager.
Iridium satellite service is authorized in more than 120 countries and
territories around the world, with more than 200 markets expected by year-end.
More than 270 distribution agreements have been negotiated worldwide, with
service providers and roaming partners, which will provide Iridium access to
over 105 million wireless telephone customers in 125 countries.
Different Services for Different Needs
Iridium services include satellite, cellular, paging, and landline
communications capabilities, allowing customers to select the communication
options that best serve their needs. The phones allow cellular communications,
where available or compatible, or satellite service when outside the range of
terrestrial wireless networks. Combined, Iridium service will offer customers
on the move the lowest cost option available to meet their global
communications requirements. Customers can choose one or more of the following
Iridium services.
- - Iridium World Satellite Service provides a direct satellite link to a
handheld satellite phone, both for incoming and outgoing
communications in remote areas, poorly covered regions, and other
locations where terrestrial networks are not available.
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- - Iridium World Roaming Service allows customers to roam across
previously incompatible terrestrial wireless networks, enabling them
to keep one telephone number and receive one telephone bill for calls
made anywhere on Earth.
- - Iridium World Page Service will provide global alphanumeric messaging
to belt-worn pagers. When combined with the voice mail option,
customers can be sure that callers can reach them worldwide, including
on aircraft. Iridium World Page Service will be available beginning
in mid-November, 1998.
- - Iridium World Calling Card enables customers to make phone calls from
public and private wireline and wireless phones in 58 countries around
the world. To use Iridium World Calling Card service, users simply
dial an access code (toll-free where available) for the country in
which they are located, enter their account number, followed by the
destination number. Calls are billed directly to the users calling
card.
The Vital Link: The World's First Satellite Handheld Telephones
Motorola and Kyocera, the manufacturers of Iridium satellite telephones and
pagers, are expected to produce more than 100,000 satellite telephones in 1998.
The multi-mode Iridium telephones from Motorola and Kyocera include Subscriber
Identity Module (SIM) cards, which provide personalized telephone features and
security for the owner. The phones also use plug-in radio cassettes to provide
compatibility with different local cellular systems around the world.
Motorola will provide cellular cassettes for GSM 900 and CDMA/AMPS/NAMPS 800
standards at commercial activation, and Kyocera phones will support GSM 900 and
PDC standards.
Local and Global Customer Care
Because Iridium is a worldwide service, a Global Customer Care (GCC) program
has been implemented to provide toll-free, round-the-clock, international
support to global travelers. This includes helping customers with replacement
of lost or stolen
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equipment, resolving network and equipment-related issues, and providing system
coverage support.
The GCC program is designed to complement the customer care efforts of
Iridium's service providers by offering quality service to customers who are
outside their home area. When customers are in their home area, they can
contact their local service provider's customer care center for Iridium sales
support, account maintenance, product and service assistance, billing
inquiries, and all other Iridium needs.
Those interested in Iridium service can call Iridium Customer Care toll-free
at 1-877-691-0162, to find out more about Iridium service availability in their
particular country, or in countries to which they travel. Information also
can be obtained through the Iridium Web site, www.iridium.com.
Iridium is a global wireless communications network that combines the worldwide
reach of 66 low-earth-orbit satellites with land-based wireless systems to
enable subscribers to communicate using handheld telephones and pagers
virtually anywhere in the world. Iridium World Communications, Ltd. (NASDAQ:
IRIDF) is the public investment vehicle of Iridium LLC.
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Iridium is a registered trademark and service mark of Iridium LLC (C) 1998