In The News

Space News - Apple formally announced its long-anticipated partnership with Globalstar Sept. 7 to provide satellite messaging services for new iPhones and becoming Globalstar’s biggest customer. As part of the agreement, Globalstar said it will allocate 85% of its network capacity to Apple. Globalstar said it will continue to offer its own services, such as internet-of-things connectivity, through the remaining 15% of capacity on the system, while also exploring terrestrial applications of its spectrum. “Globalstar expects that its business strategy will allow it to generate reliable cash flow with substantial growth potential and greater profitability,” the company said in its SEC filing. The company, which reported $124.3 million in revenue in 2021, says it expects to increase that to between $185 million and $230 million in 2023, with a further 35% increase by 2026. Read More >

Fierce Wireless - At its annual event today Apple announced that the new iPhone 14 will have emergency satellite connectivity. The service dubbed “Emergency SOS via Satellite” is a text message service to assist people who are in dire circumstances in remote areas with no regular cellular coverage.
As predicted, Apple is working with the satellite company Globalstar to offer the service, using Globalstar’s Band 53 spectrum. According to Reuters, Apple will pay for 95% of the approved capital expenditure for the new satellites needed to support the service. Read More >

Light Reading - As expected, Apple's new iPhones can connect to Globalstar's satellites through Globalstar's 2.4GHz S-band spectrum, dubbed Band 53. Apple said it will offer the satellite messaging capability to its new iPhone customers for free for two years. However, the company is touting the messaging-only capabilities for emergencies only. "With Emergency SOS via satellite, iPhone front-loads a few vital questions to assess the user's situation, and shows them where to point their phone to connect to a satellite," Apple explained in a release. "The initial questionnaire and follow-up messages are then relayed to centers staffed by Apple–trained specialists who can call for help on the user's behalf. This breakthrough technology also allows users to manually share their location over satellite with Find My when there is no cellular or Wi-Fi connection, providing a sense of security when hiking or camping off the grid." Read More >

CNN Business - Adding satellite service to new iPhones "should dominate the headlines," according to Ben Wood, chief analyst at CCS Insight. "The investment to add satellite capability should not be underestimated. It will likely have taken Apple years to put all the pieces of the puzzle in place including a commercial agreement with satellite provider Globalstar and the creation of the infrastructure needed to pass messages to the emergency services," Wood said.
Globalstar confirmed in a financial filing that it is the contractor for this project. Apple did not immediately respond to an email request for additional information. Read More >

Reuters - Apple Inc (AAPL.O) on Wednesday selected Globalstar Inc (GSAT.A) as its partner for a feature that would allow iPhone 14 users to send emergency messages from remote locations. The tech giant said it was dedicating $450 million from its advanced manufacturing fund toward satellite infrastructure to support the feature. GlobalStar will receive the majority of the funding, but the iPhone maker did not specify which other players will receive the rest and in what form. While Apple will pay for 95% of the approved capital expenditure for the new Globalstar satellites needed to support the service, Globalstar said it would still need to raise additional debt to construct and deploy the satellites. Read More >

Street Insider - On September 7, 2022, Apple Inc. (“Partner”) announced new satellite-enabled services for certain of its products (the “Services”). Globalstar, Inc. (“Globalstar” or the “Company”) will be the satellite operator for the Services pursuant to the terms agreement (the “Terms Agreement”) first disclosed in the Company’s Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 Read More >

CNBC - Apple announced a long-rumored capability to connect its iPhone 14 series to satellites for emergency services during its event on Wednesday, through a partnership with Globalstar. The feature is designed to connect an iPhone 14′s antennas directly to a satellite, to send a message in areas unconnected by cell towers. Apple’s manager of satellite modeling and simulation Ashley Williams said an algorithm in the phone compresses text messages to a size that will “take less than 15 seconds to send” to a satellite, before its relayed to a ground station and on to an emergency service provider.
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CNET - Apple is adding something new to the iPhone 14 that it hopes you won't have to use: satellite connectivity. Called Emergency SOS via satellite, the new feature is designed to connect you to emergency personnel when traditional cellular and Wi-Fi service isn't available. Working in partnership with satellite telecommunications company Globalstar, the feature will use Globalstar's network of satellites so you can send text messages from the Messages app to emergency services or contacts when other connectivity options aren't available. Read More >

Tech Crunch - The new feature is different from the satellite-based data and text connectivity incoming from Lynk and, assuming they can get it to work, T-Mobile and Starlink. Those are essentially orbital cell towers that are strong enough to reach and receive signal from the surface, while Apple is reportedly partnering with Globalstar, which is a traditional satellite connectivity operator that operates using bands that normally require a special antenna. Read More >

U.S. News - (Reuters) - Satellite services firm Globalstar Inc said on Wednesday it will partner with Apple Inc for a feature on the company's flagship iPhone 14 series that will allow users to call for help during an emergency. Apple will pay for 95% of the approved capital expenditure for the new satellites that would be needed to support the service, but Globalstar will still need to raise additional debt to construct and deploy the satellites, Globalstar said. "Goldman Sachs & Co LLC and is currently exploring capital markets opportunities and expects to complete a financing in the fourth quarter of 2022," Globalstar said in a regulatory filing. Read More >