Besieged by doubts over the very existence of a market for satellite-based voice services, low-earth-orbit carriers are starving for some kind of positive development to feed investors and customers alike.The bankruptcies of LEO carriers Iridium L.L.C. and ICO Global Communications L.P. have reduced confidence...
The mobile satellite industry is now under extreme pressure to justify itself. With Iridium's and ICO's bankruptcy filings last month, Globalstar is suddenly on the hot seat as industry defender-whether it wants to be or not.Will Globalstar launch initial service on schedule in September...
NEW YORK-Globalstar L.P. announced it successfully launched an additional four low-earth-orbit satellites into its constellation, bringing the total number of satellites to 36.The company needs only 32 to begin offering limited service, expected this fall. Globalstar said it expects to launch another 16 satellites...
AerisAeris Communications Inc. added to its senior management team, naming Peter F. Stone chief financial officer and Patricia E. Hart vice president and general counsel.Aeris also announced Douglas M. Pavicich is its new director of operations. Pavicich will oversee all the day-to-day operations and...
After defaulting on both its $800 million senior secured credit facility and its $750 million guaranteed credit facility last week, Iridium L.L.C. filed for voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.Iridium said the move has the support of banks, bondholders and its strategic partners, and was...
WASHINGTON-The FBI, fearful that national security will be compromised unless it can overcome legal and technical obstacles in conducting global phone wiretaps, is scrutinizing mobile satellite operators.The latest wiretap flare-up comes on the heels of new revelations-and criticism by privacy advocates-of massive electronic eavesdropping...
SAN FRANCISCO-AirTouch Satellite Services Inc. announced it completed agreements under which AirTouch Cellular, Airstar Communications, GMPCS Personal Communications, O'Gara Satellite Systems and The Wireless Store will sell Globalstar L.P. satellite handsets, accessories and service."Our distributors will make Globalstar available to both industry-specific customers such...
Two weeks after the ouster of L.M. Ericsson's President and Chief Executive Officer Sven-Christer Nilsson, the company revealed in its second quarter earnings report some of the financial factors contributing to Nilsson's dismissal.Meanwhile, competitors Nokia Corp. and Lucent Technologies Inc. chalked up strong quarters...
The government of Kazakhstan's temporary ban on Russian rocket launches from the Baikonur cosmodrome has mobile satellite service providers with upcoming launch dates there watching the situation carefully.The ban was initiated after a Russian-made Proton K booster rocket carrying a Russian military satellite exploded...
When it became the first satellite-based global voice operator to launch commercial service last year, Iridium L.L.C. predicted its success would serve as the example other such carriers would need to follow.Not yet a year later, the company's dangerously low subscriber additions have resulted...
NEW YORK-"The best news I will present today is that, for the first time in more than a year, there is significant interest by institutional investors" in private equity investments in satellite companies, said Hoyt Davidson, managing director of Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Securities...
Orbcomm Global, a low-earth-orbit satellite provider specializing in data communications, signed an agreement with European Datacomm Holding to deliver Orbcomm satellite communications services to 60 countries and territories in and around sub-Saharan Africa, said Orbcomm. Belgium-based EDC will begin operations out of Johannesburg, South...
NEW YORK-Globalstar Telecommunications Inc. has arranged for a $500 million credit facility underwritten by Bank of America NT&SA, guaranteed by two subsidiaries of Loral Space & Communications.The company said the funds will be used to complete the buildout of the Globalstar low-earth-orbit satellite system,...
Scandinavian Softline to license WAPHELSINKI, Finland-Scandinavian Softline Technology has agreed to license Nokia Corp.'s Wireless Application Protocol technology to deliver value-added data solutions for wireless carriers.SST has developed several products for the short messaging service and smart messaging markets, and said it intends to...
NEW YORK-Globalstar L.P. announced the successful launch of four low-earth-orbit satellites, bringing the total in-orbit count to 24.The June 10 launch occurred aboard a Boeing Delta II launch rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Station in Florida. Globalstar said it needs only two more successful...
WASHINGTON-The Pentagon, already at war in the Middle East and the Balkans, now faces a major confrontation at home over several bills that would benefit the Department of Defense at the expense of the wireless industry.DOD is the common denominator in all the legislation...
Iridium World Communications Ltd.'s stock plunged last week after an announcement that parent company Iridium L.L.C. had hired Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette to restructure its debt and the company announced it would not meet the subscriber and revenue figures needed to comply with its...
It was an unprecedented event. Qualcomm Inc., the biggest defender of CDMA technology, and L.M.
Ericsson, the largest naysayer of the technology, embraced last week, ending more than 10 years of open hostilities
between the two.
"It's wonderful to be together," said Dr. Irwin Jacobs, chairman and...
SAO PAULO, Brazil-Iridium Brasil reports it has 1,000 subscribers and that next month it will reduce the cost of its Motorola satellite handset to make the service more attractive to potential subscribers, said Pedro Schvinger, sales manager for Iridium's Brazilian operation, at the Telexpo...
Globalstar L.P. announced it successfully launched an additional four low-earth-orbit satellites on a Soyuz-Ikar rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Globalstar now has 16 satellites in orbit. The total constellation will consist of 48 satellites, as well as four spares. The company hopes...
SAN JOSE, Calif.-Globalstar Telecommunications Ltd. announced its president, Douglas G. Dwyre, will retire from his position at the end of the month but will serve on the company's board of directors. Anthony J. Navarra, executive vice president for strategic development for Globalstar, will serve...
Omnipoint TechnologiesOmnipoint Technologies Inc. introduced a Global System for Mobile communications radio module called Eagle One as the latest addition to its GSM-based wireless solutions product suite. The original equipment manufacturer solution provides developers the tools needed to integrate wireless data communications with their...
Standard & Poor's Corp., New York, has placed the low-tier, speculative-grade CCC rating of $350 million in Globalstar Telecommunications Ltd. convertible preferred stock due 2011 on "CreditWatch with negative implications." Proceeds of the convertible preferred stock are to be used for purchasing preferred partnership...
KINGSTON, Jamaica-Globalstar Caribbean Ltd. announced the Post & Telecommunications Department of Jamaica granted it approval to provide wireless services in Jamaica using the Globalstar satellite-based communications system.This license allows Globalstar Caribbean Ltd. to use the radio-frequency spectrum required by the Globalstar system and establishes...
