Iridium and Motorola Provide Satellite Phones for Use by Balkan Refugees

Business Wire, April 13, 1999

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 13, 1999--

Responding to requests from humanitarian and relief agencies, Iridium LLC (NASDAQ: IRID) has teamed with its European partners and with Motorola to provide Iridium satellite telephones to the United Nations High Commission on Refugees (UNHCR) for humanitarian use during the crisis in the Balkans.

The hand-held satellite phones are being used by relief workers in the region and by Balkan refugees to place calls to their family members or friends around the world. Motorola, which manufactures Iridium phones in the United States, has provided more than 60 phones, the first shipment of which is now being used by relief workers and refugees at camps located in Macedonia, including the camp at Neprosteno. The remaining phones are currently en route to the Balkan region and are expected to be used at other sites where refugees are located.

"We heard about the need for phone service in the refugee camps and we wanted to help out," said Edward F. Staiano, Vice Chairman and CEO of Iridium LLC. "With Iridium providing instant telephone c0mmunications to these sites, we hope that we can help relief workers do their job and, at the same time, bring some measure of comfort to refugees who are seeking to make contact with the outside world."

In addition to Motorola's contribution of satellite phones, Iridium LLC and its two European partners, Iridium Italia S.p.A. and Iridium Communications Germany GMBH, are providing the necessary satellite airtime on the Iridium system. Iridium Italia is also assuming the landline connection charges for calls made on the system, and Iridium Communications Germany has sent a team of its employees to the region to handle distribution of the phones.

"Our hearts go out to these unfortunate people, so many of whom have become separated from their loved ones and are desperate to hear a familiar voice," said Don Burns, Chief Executive Officer of Iridium Communications Germany. "Perhaps the Iridium system can help them begin the process of putting their lives back together."

"Here is an opportunity to use Iridium's newly-available technology to help a large number of the Balkan refugees," said Giuseppe Morganti, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Iridium Italia. "We have been told that the chance to make a phone call is nearly as important to them as food and shelter, and we are anxious to provide them with that capability via the Iridium satellite system."

Iridium LLC became the world's first global satellite phone and paging company on November 1, 1998. The network of 66 low-earth orbiting satellites, combined with terrestrial cellular systems, enables customers to communicate virtually anywhere in the world using one phone and pager, one phone number, and receiving one monthly bill. Customers access participating local cellular networks when available, and the Iridium satellite network when outside terrestrial cellular coverage. Iridium World Communications, Ltd. (NASDAQ: IRID) is the public investment vehicle of Iridium LLC.

Iridium is a registered trademark and service mark of Iridium LLC (c) 1999