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Globalstar: the Satellite Telephony The company launched the service in mid-November and has now reached more than one thousand subscribers, which proves a real need and represents not only a potential market but a market already attentive and reactive.
This is a remarkable result if we take into account that GSM service providers ? notably Omnitel ? will launch this service on the market as an additional service to GSM contracts. Therefore, in Italy those who have an Omnitel contract will have the certainty to keep in constant touch and to increase their freedom of communication. After verifying with your provider that your contract has the satellite roaming, you only need to insert your SIM card in a dual mode satellite phone (there are two models on the market by Telit and Ericsson) and that?s all. Moreover, you do not change your phone number. Practically, when there is no GSM coverage ? abroad for instance ? you can call without problems and when you receive an incoming call at your usual number you can answer the satellite phone by using the Globalstar satellite network.
Obviously, since Globalstar is a satellite system to make or receive phone calls, you must use it outdoors unless you have one of the kits that allow you to call in your car or on your boat. The Globalstar system functions with a constellation of 48 low-earth-orbiting
satellites at 1.414 km from the earth and 30 terrestrial gateways. The traffic originating and coming mainly from Europe is controlled by a gateway in Avezzano. Globalstar offers traditional services too: call forwarding, call barring, roaming, emergency calling and in the future also SMS, voice mail, data and fax transmission with laptop and automatic positioning, which is a very useful service when you are in very remote and isolated areas. As for GSM, Globastar coverage is gradually increasing. It currently covers North America and a large part of Europe totally as well as a part of South America, even though new areas are covered each month. The satellites needed are all already orbiting. At sea, the coverage is assured over a 200-mile area
Italian Gateway Avezzano
Therefore, the Mediterranean Sea is substantially covered while in the Atlantic Ocean, the northern corridor has been assured coverage since it is mainly used for transatlantic routes. With a minimum cost of three thousand liras in Italy and a maximum of six thousand liras in the rest of the European area managed by Elsacom you can call and receive calls at your phone number! Globalstar is a big international consortium. The leader is Loral, one of the most important American groups in the field of aerospace transmissions, together with other companies such as Vodafone AirTouch, Alcatel, DaimlerCrysler Aerospace. Italy plays a major role within Globalstar. Elsacom, Finmeccanica Company, has the task of developing the technical and commercial field in 24 countries including Italy along with the organisation and the running of the terrestrial gateways in Avezzano and Karkkila, Finland. In conclusion, the satellite-based telephony of Globalstar is the essential ring of a really global communication chain, since it integrates and makes more functional the existing networks and in the future it will be able to have them all in a smaller, lighter all-in-one handset. This future is behind the corner since every new subscriber increases the satellite-based service efficiency which today already has no equals both for reliability and security.
by Mario Sabatini
globalstar21@italianstyle.it
ELSACOM S.p.A.
Via di Settebagni, 390
00138 Rome ? Italy
phone (freephone) 800 289289
www.elsacom.it
www.elsacom.com |
