International travellers gain instant local security advice via new satellite phone service (press release)

Users of the Thuraya international satellite phone service now have access to personal, round-the-clock, worldwide security advice and assistance, thanks to a new partnership between red24, the leading provider of global security services, and Geonix Tracking

Together, red24 and Geonix have developed a new ThurayaAssist^TM service available on subscription to all Thuraya handset users. The service provides immediate personal security advice and crisis monitoring 24/7/365, all at the touch of a button and wherever there is a Thuraya satellite or GSM signal worldwide.

This means that anyone who travels off the beaten track for business or pleasure now has the reassurance of talking to red24's security experts (based in Cape Town, SA) if they feel compromised or in danger.

Plus thanks to the inclusion of Geonix's tracking service, red24's unrivalled security expertise can be tailored to the precise location where the call originates.

Jonny Simpson Tarling, red24's Commercial Director, said:  "We are delighted to be working with Geonix. red24 is the perfect fit for Geonix, providing personalised briefings prior to trips, or immediate advice if things go wrong, while Geonix provides the technical platform.

"When help is needed, clients now know they have experts waiting to assist them at the touch of a button via their Thuraya handsets. The combination of Geonix and red24, working together with ThurayaAssist^TM, means travellers have a complete safety net service, offering them the best possible global protection."

David Bland, Chief Executive of Geonix Tracking, said: "We have been delighted by the success and user acceptance of the original ThurayaLocate^TM service, which was recently designated in the top five new technologies available to aid agencies worldwide. The new service, developed in conjunction with red24 in response to user feedback, enables us to provide a comprehensive answer to the security needs of the Thuraya customer base."

red24's partnership with Geonix is just one of the many services it offers. Their specially trained security experts, many of whom are former senior military or police personnel, offer an extensive range of corporate security risk management services to minimise danger to the personnel, operations and profitability of clients across the world, spanning civil engineering, oil and gas, NGOs and the retail sector amongst others.

ThurayaAssist^TM, the premier product in the Thuraya Location Service portfolio, is a comprehensive, global and 24*7 security advice and assistance service which also allows the user's location to be displayed on mapping, satellite imagery and aerial photography using a direct web address, as well as the ability to instantly relay emergency messages to friends, family and employers via mobile phones and e-mails. Position reports are sent from any Thuraya satellite handset under the user's control.