ACES starts service in April

ACES starts service in April

BANGKOK (Dow Jones): Thailand's Jasmine International PCL said Wednesday the Asia Cellular Satellite System, or ACES, will be ready to offer cellular services in 23 countries across the Asia Pacific region by April 2000.

Jasmine, which has a stake in ACES, said in a statement that the system's Garuda satellite will enter orbit in October this year.

ACES is owned by the Bermuda-based Asia Cellular Satellite International, whose major shareholders are: Lockheed Martin Corp, Pasifik Satelit Nusantara of Indonesia, Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company, and Jasmine.

Initially, ACES will have four gateways in Indonesia, Philippines, Taiwan and Thailand.

Handsets for the cellular satellite system will cost around 40,000 baht and air-time charges will be less than $1 per minute, the statement said.