Hi Don! I've rescued the Globalstar stream because the price hit $70 today! Not far away from the original guesses!!
Dec 1996 $80 [design finalized]
Dec 1997 $100 [initial launch]
Dec 1998 $140 [full launching and commercial operation]
Dec 1999 $180 or $200. [full operation, future system design]
Maurice
Here is an http to Loral stream, you can read about things there too. This post is from a guy who works there part-time.
techstocks.com
Nov 24 1996
Reply #418 to Eduardo.
Eduardo, thanks for that and for tolerating my dig at you. I'm glad to see the walls are definite between the companies - I don't want GSTRF providing free services to other people, even if not sensitive - but they should have SOLD you the list and % shareholding.
Iridium seems to me to be a good idea in some respects. For example, subscribers can just ignore local politicians and use their phones anywhere they damn like! It might make politicians angry. Too bad! Some of the politicians would be big enough and tough enough, like China, to demand compliance with their rules. Space based systems are less subject to war, insurrection, vandalism, flood, tsunami, earthquake and meteorite strikes. But overall, earth transmission is cheaper, quicker and better quality.
The Iridium experience is a little like CDMA, a great idea, horribly complicated, but if it works, there are some real advantages. One drawback is electricity demand. They'll need bigger solar panels and batteries than Globalstar's bent pipe transmission system [bent pipe for readers means they simply send the signal straight back to earth without processing].
I suppose the first Iridium launch will be a prototype to test design work until now! Also to show investors they are on target and have a live system. Motorola is now planning their own CDMA based system. Iridium might fly, but I bet they don't expand or duplicate it. Iridium say they are on target, so they should be first by a year. But that won't make them all the money. Both Iridium and Globalstar will be at capacity. I don't think first to market will be too important. There is unsatisfied demand right now with money going into something else, which is a shame. But there is room for both. But one will be most cost-effective so it will go on as the role model for future expansion. |
