Istanbul University Team Rely on Thuraya Solutions to Finish World Solar Challenge

Istanbul University, one of the participants during the World Solar Challenge, a 3,000 km race that crosses Australia from the Northern territories city of Darwin to Adelaide, are celebrating their top ten finish amongst a highly competitive field. The team, who were supported by Thuraya,  relied heavily on Thuraya IP, the world’s smallest satellite broadband solution supporting 384 Kbps data streaming and Thuraya XT, the most reliable satellite handheld with full walk and talk capabilities, for communications.
The Istanbul University Team depended on Thuraya’s solutions for the exchange of critical information regarding solar battery levels of the car, speed and weather conditions which helped them to finish the World Solar Challenge. The race is a bi-annual competition with racers from all across the globe taking part in this eco-friendly technology initiative that involves solar powered race cars.
Mr. Murat Altug from the Istanbul Solar Race Team said, “It was an exhilarating experience to take part in the World Solar Challenge but what gave us reassurance and confidence throughout the race was the knowledge that we had access to reliable data and voice communications wherever we were located in Australia via Thuraya’s network. We encountered very rough and enduring terrain but both Thuraya IP and the XT handheld functioned perfectly every time. We depended on both solutions for emergency purposes but most importantly the sending of vital data that helped us to monitor our performance throughout the race.”
Thuraya IP is the world’s smallest and fastest satellite broadband solution that offers 444 Kbps standard IP and 384 streaming IP. It is the only satellite broadband solution with asymmetric streaming enabling consumers to select upload and download speeds ensuring they only pay for the bandwidth they consume.
Thuraya had sponsored the Istanbul University Solar Team in collaboration with their service partner TEKNOMOBIL as part of their continued CSR efforts and dedication to eco-friendly initiatives.