In The News

Globalstar, Inc. today announced that Mongolia-based Value Added Reseller Spotter has now deployed over 12,000 animal-tracking collars based on SmartOne C and SPOT Trace. Read More >

Globalstar Europe Satellite Services has announced that Spotter has deployed over 12,000 of its animal-tracking collars. These highly innovative satellite IoT devices, which are based on GlobalStar’s SmartOne C and SPOT Trace tracking technologies, are being used in Mongolia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. The systems are used to track and safeguard horses, including high-value competitive racehorses.

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While individual businesses cannot strengthen the global supply chain independently, solve the labor shortage, or reconcile international relations, fortunately, the latter set of issues related to connectivity can be ameliorated. Where terrestrial cellular coverage falls short, satellite connectivity prevails. With satellite coverage, continuous connectivity can be ensured for remote asset tracking, asset management, secure communications at exploration sites, monitoring transmission and deliveries tracked by internet of things (IoT) infrastructure, and worker safety for improved business efficiencies. Read More >

For disaster management, the more prepared emergency managers are, the more resilient your locality will be in the face of disaster. However, it’s impossible to accurately predict and manage storms completely. Utilizing satellite technology will provide better visibility into assets, allowing for more control over a seemingly uncontrollable situation.

By tapping into the satellite networks with IoT technology, you can be provided with up-to-date location information even when the power is out. These small bursts of data are ideal for reliable coverage but use little power.

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Fierce Wireless - It’s a big deal for a company whose valuation is peanuts compared to the behemoth that is Apple. Globalstar struggled for years, to the point it went through bankruptcy in 2002. But it’s a different company now, and its current leaders couldn’t be more excited for the future. Granted, there’s “a lot of noise out there,” but Globalstar VP of Strategy and Communications Kyle Pickens said he believes over time, people will see Globalstar as a new kind of telecom company with stable cash flows and huge growth opportunities. “We’re extremely excited about it,” he told Fierce. Globalstar has had a very long journey in the low Earth orbit (LEO) space, Kagan acknowledged. “There’s been a complete renaissance of the LEO,” he said. “It’s pretty exciting to see that change.” They believe what they’ve accomplished with their “partner” Apple, which they decline to talk about specifically other than what’s publicly stated in SEC filings, has changed the satellite industry forever. It’s an incredibly exciting time, even if it’s not reflected in the share price, which was around $1.84 this morning after a highly volatile week. “We definitely see this as a success story,” Kagan said. Read More >

The Verge - Apple has partnered with Globalstar for its satellite operations, and it plans on using the company’s 24-satellite constellation to run its service, confirming the long-running rumors about its plans for the Band 53 / n53 communications. In practice, this means that Apple has joined the litany of companies attempting to “eliminate dead zones,” as T-Mobile put it when it announced a partnership with SpaceX last month to create its own emergency communications service. Based on Globalstar’s revenue estimates in the filing, Tim Farrar, an analyst at satellite and telecom-focused consulting and research firm Telecom, Media and Finance Associates, said that he expects those satellites to cost Apple up to $50 million by 2026. Farrar also noted that Apple seems to be paying a “relatively low price” for the service. “Globalstar had revenues of $124 million last year. This is scheduled to go up to $185-$230 million in 2023,” he said, saying that indicated Apple would be paying around $110 million to Globalstar next year. Apple has announced the service will be free to users for the first two years but hasn’t said how much it’ll cost after that. Read More >

CBS Boston - 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 >

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 >