Why Globalstar is better than the rest.
The system is cheaper to build per minute availability.
It uses CDMA developed by Qualcomm. CDMA is increasingly being shown to be the most efficient use of spectrum and call quality is highest.
As other technologies and CDMA develop, CDMA advantages become even greater. For example as energy consumption in chips goes down and processing power goes up, CDMA benefits more than TDMA because it is extremely greedy for processing power.
It has a longer life than Iridium, so depreciation is slower.
It covers nearly everywhere nearly anyone could imaginably need service.
It has spectrum allocated, it has money in line, it is using the latest but well established basic technologies.
Local political control of telecommunications is not usurped.
As new hardware and software upgrades are developed, the terrestrial base stations are easily upgraded whereas Iridium satellites carry the hardware high in the sky. No upgrades there! Globalstar uses a bent pipe satellite system with ground switching. Iridium uses space switching.
Lead times are important - only Iridium is close to the same operational start date as Globalstar [Iridium should be 6 months ahead].
Globalstar handsets are claimed to be cheaper [don't know why and maybe that's not true.]
Obsolete GSM/TDMA technology won't have the developer support which Globalstar CDMA will enjoy. Eventually [on later constellations] there will be multifunctional "Anita" type terminals including GPS, images, telephone, radio, web, email, tv, calculator, alarm clock, digital camera, - I forget the other things, but you get the drift.
Iridium has a couple of advantages - lower flying satellites and more of them, which should mean better battery life, at least for a few years. They are first. They do cover ALL the world though like all radio signals they don't get through buildings, forests, mountains etc so there will be gaps and an unimpeded sky will generally be needed. |
