Telenor Wednesday launched a worldwide incentive program for its satellite broadband telephone service, offering free activation and equipment discounts.

Telenor's U.S.-based Satellite Services unit is coordinating the marketing effort with the launch in the Americas later this year of its Broadband Global Area Network Services.

The BGAN system, which is already operational in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East, offers satellite telephony at a fixed monthly rate with unused air time rolled over to the next month.

"With BGAN, customers get the same low-cost voice calls, less than $1 a minute, combined with high-speed data and Internet connectivity, in a 'go anywhere' satellite terminal," Telenor Satellite Vice President Anders Kallerud said in a news release.

The new promotion runs through the end of June and not only waives fees but discounts equipment up to $1,500 with the trade-in of the customer's old satellite phone.

Copyright 2006 by United Press International