Airia to Bring Live TV to the Sky Globally; Joint Venture with Inmarsat Will Provide Live TV News and Sports Globally To Long-Haul Airline Passengers, Using Existing Satellites.

Business Editors

LONDON & ANNAPOLIS, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 5, 2000

AIRIA, a joint venture between Live Inflight Video Entertainment and Inmarsat Ventures Ltd, a leading provider of global mobile satellite communications, today announced that it will be the first to deliver live global inflight entertainment. The new London UK and Annapolis, Maryland-based company is scheduled to bring live news broadcasts and sporting events to long-haul airline passengers in the third quarter of 2001.

The first of its kind in airline passenger entertainment service, AIRIA will initially enable airlines to receive live world news television from BBC World, the BBC's 24-hour international news and information channel, and a live sports channel carrying international sporting events designed by Trans World International (TWI), one of the world's leading sports television production companies. The company will be adding additional channels and content, along with broadband data services, in the future to meet passenger demand.

AIRIA's global live inflight service will use Inmarsat's existing network of satellites and the Inmarsat Aero H/H+ satcom antennas, which are, as of April 2000, already installed on over 76% of modern long-haul, wide-bodied aircraft for safety and voice communications purposes.

"Our joint venture will set the introduction and standard for bringing live TV to aircraft while in flight," said Mike Stevens, Chairman and CEO of AIRIA. "With our cutting edge technology, service and content, combined with Inmarsat's tremendous satellite infrastructure, passengers will be able to enjoy global entertainment events in real-time, and in the future, have data at their fingertips."

Utilizing Inmarsat's existing satellites and antennas enables AIRIA to be at the forefront of this industry. Frost and Sullivan forecasts that the inflight entertainment (IFE) market will be worth US$2.2 billion in 2000, growing to US$ 4.0billion by 2005.

By the end of April 2000, Inmarsat antennas were already installed in almost 4000 aircraft, including long-haul, government and business jets, for safety and voice communications, and AIRIA will utilize these existing antennas.

Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. (BATC), a leading provider of imaging and communications products for commercial and government customers worldwide, including the aeronautical and space industries, will supply the avionics for AIRIA's new global service.

AIRIA's new in-flight television system will also be attractive to advertisers because they will be able to target passengers with highly tailored spots for particular routes and journeys on a global basis. Both airlines and advertisers will have an additional tool at their disposal: AIRIA's television channels will be customisable in real-time.

"This is a perfect marriage of technology and content for the benefit of airlines, passengers and advertisers," said Michael Storey, president and CEO of Inmarsat. "Airlines see the benefits of offering quality services like this and therefore increasing the pleasurable travel experience to their passengers in what is a crowded and competitive marketplace. Using our existing satcom antennas, that are already fitted to most long-haul airlines and many corporate jets, will minimize the additional on-board equipment needed to provide a global news and sports feed live to passengers, and even data in the future, as we increase our bandwidth and offer a wider range of channels."

About AIRIA

AIRIA Limited, a London UK and Annapolis, Maryland-based company, will be a global provider of live airline inflight entertainment. The company will offer two television channels, BBC World for live international news, and a sports channel designed by Trans World International (TWI), one of the world's leading sports television production companies.

Visit http://www.airiaglobal.com for more information.

About Inmarsat Ventures Ltd

Inmarsat Ventures Ltd owns and operates a global satellite network and distributes its solutions through a world-wide group of service providers to end customers in the maritime, aeronautical and multinational corporate sectors.

The Group operates in three core areas: Global mobile satellite communications, fixed broadband communications solutions, and provision of content and applications to its key markets.

In April 1999 Inmarsat changed from being an intergovernmental organisations to become a private limited company registered in the UK.

The Inmarsat Ventures Group consists of:

- Inmarsat Ltd: the primary subsidiary which owns and operates a

global mobile satellite network. As at the end of July 2000 it

had over 198,000 terminals in use in over 150 countries, serviced

by around 200 Inmarsat Service Providers. Inmarsat has over 21

years of experience of designing, launching and operating

satellites.

- Invsat Ltd: provides integrated telecommunications systems and services
including satellite systems, radio systems and very small aperture terminal
satellite (VSAT) solutions to the oil and gas, maritime, government and
emergency services markets.

- Merasis Ltd: which consists of setfair.com Ltd, which provides a maritime
e-commerce initiative in the business-to-business market and Rydex Corporation
Ltd, an applications developer providing wireless e-mail and data
communications software for the maritime industry.

- AIRIA Limited: which will provide live television broadcasts to the airline
industry.

Visit http://www.inmarsat.com for more information.

Forward-looking Statements

Certain statements in this announcement constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or industry results, to be materially different from those projected in the forward-looking statements. These factors include general economic and business conditions; changes in technology; structural change in the satellite industry; relationships with customers; competition; and ability to attract personnel. You are cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this announcement. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect any change in our expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances.

For more information about AIRIA Limited and live television broadcast to airlines, please contact:

Vardhan Rajkumar at AIRIA Limited on [phone]

Email: [e-mail]

Or Rob Shapiro at MS&L, New York  Will Spiers at MS&L, London Tel: [phone] Tel: + 44 207 878 3156 Email: [e-mail]

Email: [e-mail]

For more information about Inmarsat Ventures and this investment, please contact:

Dominic Cook or Stephen Rogers at Inmarsat on [phone]/1504,

Fax [phone]

Email: [e-mail] or [e-mail]