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European team plans to create Galileo Services consortium to support Galileo

04 December 2001

Europe is faced with a formidable challenge, but also a major opportunity, for its satellite navigation system which is becoming central to all forms of transport and location-based services, and also many other activities linked to time synchronisation (mobile telecoms networks, financial transactions). By deciding to launch the Galileo programme, Europe will place itself in a position to access a key enabling technology with huge socio-economic benefits evaluated at more than 17 Billion euros between 2008 and 2020 (Price Waterhouse Coopers study, November 2001).

It is of utmost importance that Galileo is developed as an end-to-end system, with a strong involvement of "downstream" industry (terminals, applications and services), in order to make sure that the space infrastructure will adequately answer users' needs and be adapted to the market conditions in 2008 (when the constellation will be fully deployed).

As a result, a kernel of European "downstream" industrialists, comprising Thales, Eutelsat, Telespazio (Telecom Italia), Kongsberg Seatex, Septentrio and FDC, are prepared to work together and to play a role of "Service Developer", as the appropriate private body able to support a Joint Undertaking and to work with the entity in charge of managing the development of the space infrastructure.

Indra has also expressed interest in participating and is studying how it can collaborate in the future.

It is the intention of these companies to form a consortium, Galileo Services, formalising their pioneering role in Galileo market development. This consortium will be open to accommodate other companies sharing the same goal, in particular the ones which have already expressed their interest through their participation to the OREGIN* organisation.

Galileo Services strongly encourages a positive decision from the European Transport Ministers' Council this week, approving formally the launch of the development and validation phase. This would give European industry the long-term visibility necessary for the programme to succeed, especially in terms of market development.

* OREGIN, Organization of European GNSS equipment and services Industries, aims at sharing information among its members and promoting Galileo.

Press contacts:
Thales - Matt Pothecary - Tel: + 33 (0) 1 53 77 86 26
Entelsat - Vanessa O'Connor - Tel: + 35 (0) 1 53 98 47 57