SYDNEY, May 6 Asia Pulse - A satellite digital mobile service
has been launched by Vodafone Australasia Ltd to provide coverage
across 100 per cent of Australia.
The Globalstar service will be fully integrated with Vodafone's
existing cellular telephone network and will provide users with
high quality telephony and other digital telecommunications services
in areas now not served well or, in some cases, at all.
"Wherever they are in Australia, in urban and rural areas,
Australians will have access to all Vodafone services," Vodafone
Australasia chief executive Brian Clark said.
"Vodafone will be the only mobile phone network to have fully
integrated service providing 100 per cent coverage of the Australian
continent and 100 per cent of the Australian population," he
said.
In Australia, the Globalstar service will be delivered through
a 52 satellite low earth orbiting (LEO) constellation. Of these
satellites, 20 have been successfully launched and the remainder
will be in orbit by the end of 1999.
Because the Globalstar service will be fully integrated, the
dual-mode handset will be able to switch from global systems
mobile (GSM) to satellite when the GSM signal is lost.
The Vodafone GlobalStar service will search for a GSM signal
first and if one can not be found, it will automatically route
the call by satellite.
"For the first time, Australians will be able to travel across
the country and make or receive mobile phone calls as well as
send and receive faxes, messages and data with a single phone
which will perate seamlessly via GSM or satellite, depending
on the location of the user," Dr Clark said.
Globalstar LP is a partnership of the world's leading telecommunications
service providers and equipment manufacturers. It is based in
San Jose, California and is led by founding partner Loral Space
and Communications.
Other groups involved include, AirTouch, Alcatel, DACOM, DaimlerChrysler
Aerospace and France Telecom.
Dr Clark said Vodafone's merger with AirTouch has enable this
launch of Globalstar.
Vodafone is constructing three Globalstar gateways or switching
stations in Australia, at Dubbo in New Sourth Wales, Meekatharra
in Western Australia and Mt Isa in Queensland.
These gateways will switch calls received via the Globalstar
satellites onto other networks in Australian and internationally
in an identical fashion to GSM base stations.
Globalstar's LEO constellation will provide wireless services
to "virtually every" area of the world between the latitudes
of 70 degrees north and 70 degrees south, Vodafone said. |
