RS, <<Well, I don't think any one person could catch all your mistakes [g] but here are a few comments....
1. 495$ G* phones are available at ICC and have been for about a month, at least; see:>>
I think you if you review my comment. . . .
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"BTW.. Still haven't seen those .78 cent minutes (non-short-term promotional) or $499 G* phones..
I am not saying that they don't exist.. I just haven't seen them!"
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So now I have seen one.. even with the $500 dollar a month usage contract for a year! You would think they would just give your the phone for that kind of contract.. Although I did see a Telit G* phone on EBAY go for less than $500 US a few weeks ago.. Still haven't seen those .78 cents (non-promotional minutes).
<<Come on: you must know that the USG signed on as a user (and, essentially, coinvestor, since they paid for their own dedicated Gateway) long before any opportunity to "test the system" existed. And having made that investment in a gateway.>>
Really? The 219 million IDIQ contract was awarded in April, 1999.. So since the system went "commercial" in November, 1998.. Then I would assume that there was sufficient "testing time" (6 months) for the military to determine whether Iridum was a "functional system capable of meeting their needs. "Before PLUNKING DOWN/ committing to a 219 million contract.
3. IRIDIUM PHONES WORKED EVERYWHERE.. The number of countries which were not licensed beyond the 7 Bad Boys like Lybia, Cuba, N. Korea, Afghanistan
, New Zealand, Iraq, could be counted on both hands. Countries like Jamaica, S. Africa etc. Also for some reason Iridium didn't seem to have this 200 miles to sea "force shield" around countries? There phone worked anywhere in the Tasmanian Sea!! If you have seen the pictures on the Globalstar Aussie Web Site claiming. "Globalstar Works Here!".. I wonder if they have a line of buoys surrounding Australia 200 miles off shore with signs. Globalstar works here on one side. And "Globlastar DON'T WORK HERE" on the other??
So I think you are trying to split-hairs to prove a point!
Maybe you could do a pie chart on the total land-mass (square mile/kilometers) of the earth's surface in which Iridium had coverage AND service availability 9 months into service availability. And another with Globalstar's Coverage AND Service availability at the same point of commercial operation... (soft-roll out or not)..
Now that would be an interesting Pie Chart??
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