The agreement with SingTel, the leading Cellular Network Operator in Asia Pacific, follows a similar agreement in March with Advanced Info Systems Public Company Limited (AIS) -- the market leader in digital and analog cellular service in Thailand.

The SingTel roaming agreement marks ICO's 12th worldwide, including agreements with nine operators in Europe, one in Bahrain and the one with AIS in Thailand. Many such agreements will be signed with cellular network operators throughout the world before ICO launches its full service in the year 2000.

Under the terms of the SingTel agreement, ICO and SingTel agree to implement bilateral roaming, allowing customers of SingTel to use the ICO global satellite system, and customers of ICO to use the SingTel GSM networks.

Fredrik Verkroost, ICO's chief commercial officer and executive vice president, said: "Our agreement with SingTel adds to our strength and profile in Asia Pacific. We will be signing such agreements worldwide, on a non-exclusive basis, and are ready to work with any cellular network operators."

Lung Chien Ping, SingTel Mobile's chief executive officer, said: "We are pleased to sign a roaming agreement with ICO. This will complement our already very extensive roaming coverage and enables us to maintain our position as Asia Pacific's number one auto-roaming service provider."

ICO's services, launched in the year 2000, will be based on a new generation of pocket-size mobile phones allowing users to make and receive calls at any time, anywhere in the world. The handsets will be dual mode, capable of working on satellite, cellular and PCS networks.

Using their handsets, customers will be able to roam between ICO and mobile networks around the world. If no cellular network is available, the handset will roam to ICO's satellite network to offer customers unrestricted mobility and accessibility for their communications needs.

Affordable services will be available to a wide range of users-from people living and working in remote rural areas to the international business traveler. In addition ICO will offer services to the road transport, maritime and aeronautical sectors.

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