Circular Letter
MSC/Circ.1076

FUTURE WITH DRAWAL OF INMARSAT-A SERVICES BY INMARSAT LTD

(adopted on 5 June 2003)

 

1. Inmarsat-A is the original analogue service provided via the Inmarsat satellites and was first introduced in 1982.

 

2. The last type-approval by Inmarsat for a new model of maritime Inmarsat-A mobile earth station (MES) was granted in 1991. No new Inmarsat-A MES models have been type-approved since then.

 

3. Although Inmarsat-A is approved for fitting in ships as part of their GMDSS equipment, the communication capabilities provided by Inmarsat-A are now provided more efficiently and effectively by other types of digital Inmarsat terminal, and the number of Inmarsat-A terminals that remain in use on board ships is declining rapidly.

 

4. Bearing in mind the efforts being made by the ITU to promote the more efficient use of spectrum, and the requirement for Inmarsat Ltd. to hand back to the ITU the Country Codes used for Inmarsat-A before 2009, Inmarsat Ltd. is planning to launch new satellites within this time frame which will not be able to support Inmarsat-A services.

 

5. Inmarsat Ltd. had formerly indicated that 5-years notice would be given for the withdrawal of Inmarsat-A services and has now informed the Organization that these services will be withdrawn on 31 December 2007.

 

6. Member Governments are urged to bring this information to the attention of all concerned within the maritime industry including their administrations, shipowners and managers, search and rescue authorities and ship masters.