Paradigm Services has improved the current communications services by enabling families and friends to leave voicemail messages for service personnel who are on operations overseas.

Up to 10 messages per person, each of which can last up to two minutes, can be saved to individual accounts. The messages are charged by the second at a rate of 50 pence per minute, plus network extras, but the person receiving the messages is not charged for retrieving them. The voicemails can be saved for up to 60 days.

Recent trials of the new service have proved to be very popular with service personnel and provide a quick and easy way for family and friends to make contact with their loved ones.

The WELCOME (WELfare COMmunications Everywhere) package of services is a vital link for military personnel with friends and families back home. Paradigm's WELCOME services allows servicemen to make telephone calls and have access to the internet from operational theatres worldwide, as part of the MOD funded welfare package.

Project WELCOME is provided by Paradigm as part of the Skynet 5 PFI contract with the MoD. Paradigm has provided over a million hours of welfare telephone calls since Op Telic began and, provides internet and email services, that are free for use to all UK service personnel deployed on operations overseas.

Paradigm Services has a well-established relationship with the UK MoD and has been fulfilling the requirements of the welfare communications service for troops on 'entitled operations' overseas since April 2000.

Malcolm Peto, Managing Director of Paradigm said:"We have a clear focus on our military customers and are proud to be able to provide vital Welfare communications for British Forces. This is just one more example of Paradigm's ability to deliver capability anywhere, anytime".

Skynet 5 is the groundbreaking next generation military satellite communications programme and will provide end-to-end, tariff based, resilient, secure Beyond Line of Site communications services, including Welfare, to the UK MoD and other non-UK MoD customers until 2020.

The programme provides delivery of information services between the UK's Defence Fixed Network and in theatre networks and users.

Secure communications services will be delivered by the owner and operator - Paradigm Secure Communications, which is wholly owned by Astrium, a subsidiary of EADS, European Aeronautic Defence and Space company.

The MoD contract, which is now worth £3.6bn was placed with Paradigm on 24th October 2003. It is the UK MoD's largest and most complex PFI contract to date.