re: cruise ships
I agree, Jon, that cruise ships is a vertical market that G* should eventually be able to tap; as with many G* issues, the question simply is a matter of time. I believe, but have been unable to confirm, that the vast majority of cruise ships (based on the aggregate amount of time that passengers are on board (i.e., total number of passengers per year multiplied by average time on board), not per ship) remain in G* territory virtually 100% of the time. For instance, cruises in the Caribbean (including points of origination on the Atlantic coast), in the Meditaranean, up the Pacific coast to Alaska, trans-Atlantic (depending upon route) don't leave G* territory.
Certainly there are around-the world cruises, and others, that periodically leave (and re-enter) G* territory and therefore G* is not a viable telecommunications alternative to their existing system (although, presumably, that would be fixed vis-a-vis the IFN deal which is supposed to fill in the holes in the oceans).
I agree with PCSTEL, however, that getting the cruise ships to rip out their existing system and replace it with a G* system will take some marketing / deal making, something G* hasn't been able to do yet. The side-by-side advantages of a G* system are obvious (better call quality, cheaper minutes to the cruise line (which can resell at the same price as present calls thereby creating higher margin), etc.), but convincing the cruise lines to lay out capital and risk it on what many perceive as a company headed for bankruptcy is a challenge.
If I recall correctly (RS, I know you can / will correct me if I'm incorrect), back in a conf. call in Dec. of 99, G* execs made a bit of a deal about targeting cruise lines saying deals were being worked on; it's 9 months later and those deals have not borne any fruit and have apparently dropped off the radar. |
