Archive for the 'Globalstar' Category
Jan 18, 2010, post by Artur Ślesik
If spending money to build a satellite phone network reminds you of a few recent financial debacles, you’re not alone.
But regardless of its past foibles, Globalstar has created a real business and is announcing today that it is taking the first steps to deploying its $1.29 billion second-generation satellite phone network.
While satellite phones seem quaint at a time of growing cell phone coverage, Tony Navarra, president of global operations at the Milpitas, Calif., company, said that many of Globalstar’s 375,000 customers are in remote regions of the U.S. and Canada. The phones used to be the size of bricks, but they’re now about twice the size of typical cell phones, with a little antenna nub sticking out of them.
In an interview, Navarra said that this new network could prove far more cost effective than the last one. For $1.29 billion, Globalstar will be able to launch 24 satellites into orbit and build another 24 for the future. These satellites should last for 15 years, until 2025 and beyond, compared to just 7.5 years for the company’s first-generation satellites.
It’s last network cost $4.5 billion to complete and the debt load was so heavy that it drove Globalstar, founded in 1994, into bankruptcy in 2004. It restructured its debt and then went public in 2006. In the summer of last year, it did a debt financing of $738 million. Competition includes Inmarsat, Iidium Satellite, SkyTerra Communicaitons and Orbcomm. Globalstar needs to get the satellites deployed because service quality is starting to diminish.
Navarra said the satellites in the first network are becoming weaker. The low-earth orbiting satellites circle the globe about 850 miles in the sky. As they age, Globalstar takes them up about 1,000 miles above the earth and then replaces them with new satellites.
Since the technology has improved, the second-generation network will be able to handle duplex voice and data at a rate of 256 kilobits per second, compared to just 9.6 kilobits per second earlier. It has high quality, and the data transfer speed will now be better.
To further finance its new generation, Globalstar has raised $505 million in loans from a consortium of French banks and another $71 million from satellite maker Thales Alenia and rocket maker Arianespace.
The company generates about $76 to $80 per subscriber per month for voice service and $10 per subscriber per month for data service. The company also makes money from engineering services. And its Spot division recently announced a satellite communicator to go with Delorme’s navigation handheld.
Navarra said the company will launch one or two rockets this year, using Arainespace. Each rocket will carry six satellites. Today, the company said it has begun to install upgrades at its gateway ground stations around the world to get ready to deploy the second-generation satellite constellation.
Jan 05, 2010, post by Artur Ślesik
DeLorme and Spot, a subsidiary of satellite communications firm Globalstar, are announcing that have created a global positioning system (GPS) navigation device that is combined with a satellite communicator.
This sort of device is useful for world travelers, hikers, and others working in the wild and out of the range of cell phones. Known as the DeLorme Earthmate PN-60w with SPOT Satellite Communicator, the rugged handheld device can send text messages or contact emergency services when the user is far beyond the normal range of a phone. Users can share their locations via social networking functions and fix their precise locations as needed for SOS purposes.
Spot’s competition includes Inmarsat, Iridium Satellite, SkyTerra Communicaitons and Orbcomm. The parent company Globalstar was founded in 1994 and was restructured in 2004. It went public in 2006 and in the summer did a debt financing of $738 million.
Dec 21, 2009, post by Satellite News
Globalstar, Inc. (Nasdaq:GSAT), a leading provider of mobile satellite voice and data services to businesses, governments and customers, informed that it and its wholly owned subsidiary, Spot LLC, have acquired substantially all of the assets of Axonn, L.L.C. (Axonn). Axonn is a leading developer and producer of high quality and affordable satellite GPS asset-tracking and messaging products including Globalstar’s award-winning consumer retail device, the SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger(TM). Axonn also designs and markets enterprise products which utilize the highly reliable Globalstar Simplex data network, including the AXTracker(TM) and SMARTONE asset-tracking solutions.
Axonn is the designer and producer of the STX2 Simplex data transmitter which is the world’s smallest industrial-use satellite Simplex transmitter. The STX2 provides developers of asset tracking, data monitoring and messaging solutions with a small but affordable way to integrate Globalstar satellite data network connectivity into their product solutions. The STX2 is an integral piece of every current M2M Simplex data device that utilizes the Globalstar network.
Globalstar and Spot LLC acquired certain assets and assumed certain liabilities of Axonn in exchange for $1.5 million in cash, subject to a working capital adjustment, $5.5 million in shares of the Company’s voting common stock and up to an additional $11 million for earnout payments based on sales of existing and new products.
About Globalstar, Inc.
With over 375,000 subscribers, Globalstar is the world’s largest provider of mobile satellite voice and data services. Globalstar offers these services to commercial and recreational users in more than 120 countries around the world. The Company’s products include mobile and fixed satellite telephones, simplex and duplex satellite data modems and flexible service packages. Many land based and maritime industries benefit from Globalstar with increased productivity from remote areas beyond cellular and landline service. Global customer segments include: oil and gas, government, mining, forestry, commercial fishing, utilities, military, transportation, heavy construction, emergency preparedness, and business continuity as well as individual recreational users. Globalstar data solutions are ideal for various asset and personal tracking, data monitoring and SCADA applications.
About Axonn, LLC
Headquartered in Covington, Louisiana, Axonn LLC has been committed to the research, development and commercialization of satellite and radio frequency-based hardware for the tracking, monitoring and management of fixed and mobile remote assets since 1985. As the exclusive provider of hardware for the Globalstar Simplex Data Network, there are currently over 150,000 Axonn products in operation worldwide by industrial, commercial and government customers. Our focus is to provide cost-efficient, low power, ultra-reliable, secure monitoring devices that help solve a variety of problems in a variety of markets.
