Cards Briefs: German Card Maker To Supply Comsat Plan

Giesecke & Devrient, the German smart card maker, will supply subscriber identity module smart cards, known as Sim cards, to Comsat for its Planet 1 personal satellite telephone.

Initially, Comsat will offer the new service in Africa, Russia, Asia, and the Middle East. Worldwide service is expected by mid-1997. High- powered Inmarsat satellites will transmit signals for the telecommunications system.

The system is modeled on the Global System for Mobile Communications, or GSM, system popular in Europe.

Customers' subscriber information and other data are stored on Sim cards.

Giesecke & Devrient supplies more than 11 million Sim cards to telecommunications companies worldwide.

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