Indigo Telecom has launched the Thuraya SatSleeve adaptor in Kenya, which allows iPhone users to transform their device into a satellite phone.
The adaptor, which costs KSh78,120 (US$930), covers the iPhone similarly to a standard protective case and allows it to make calls via satellite.
“It provides iPhone users with a versatile and highly affordable means of conducting phone calls and sending SMS via satellite from the world’s most remote locations,” says Indigo Telecom relations manager Felix Mwanzia.
In emergency situations the SatSleeve can act as a standalone phone as it holds a Thuraya SIM card has an inbuilt earpiece and microphone.
The phone also has a facility that allows users to call a single number when the iPhone runs out of battery.
The SatSleeve is also designed to act as a battery backup for the iPhone device, and has a 2,400 mAh lithium ion battery with 48 hours of battery on standby and three hours of talk time.
Indigo says the Thuraya SatSleeve will work similarly with other Thuraya satellite phones with the app downloadable from the iTunes App Store.
