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Microcap & Penny Stocks : Globalstar Telecommunications Limited GSAT -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?


To: Jim Parkinson who wrote (9976)2/8/2000 1:58:00 PM
From: Rocket Scientist  Respond to of 29987
 
New coverage map at G* USA

globalstarusa.com

Shows updated N.America coverage; indicates Caribbean Coverage is "expected Summer 2000" and adds a slice of "Reduced Coverage Area" covering Eastern Alaska as far West as Anchorage, Kenai Peninsula and (maybe) Fairbanks.

Continues to say coverage will extend to Western Europe in March 2000.



To: Jim Parkinson who wrote (9976)2/8/2000 2:41:00 PM
From: Maurice Winn  Read Replies (2) | Respond to of 29987
 
Jim, it seems that things are going swimmingly. The number one objective of no customer complaints is being met admirably as few are connected. I admit to being an old fogey and not understanding that 21st century marketing concept of long, slow, soft rollout with no customer complaints, or customers, being of the old school where it is GOOD to get a LOT of customers who pay their bills and tell others about the great new product they are enjoying and how cheap it is compared with the rotten methods they used to use.

We should have 60,000 handsets in the 'channel' in a month or two. I guess they mean the shops and warehouses. I suppose that's good. But, being of the old school, I don't understand why they don't just deliver direct from the end of the production line via FedEx or the like, direct to the buyer's address. What do all the middlemen do with the boxes and what use is the warehouse?

Also, how come we don't get to see a nice graph of how many handsets and minutes have been sold? We saw the other day that there were 3142 sold or in friendly hands such as Globalstar, Qualcomm, distributors who want to try it out and the FBI who are busy monitoring those 3142 for anybody who dares to inhale burning herbal toxins [other than tobacco, autumn leaves and lawn clippings]. Maybe they are trying to catch Bernie giving away soldering secrets to Jiang Zemin or donating money to Al Gore's campaign.

Meanwhile, I thought the plan was to NOT be like Iridium.

So far, we have been late. We blew up 12 satellites [which was different from Iridium - they only had a few fizzers once in orbit]. We are overpriced. We make claims that it's a 'use anywhere' service whereas it can barely be used anywhere. The Australian company, Vodafone, won't start service until they have GSM handsets although CDMA handsets would work fine [because they have GSM terrestrial networks]. I hope the clock is running on their exclusivity while they mess about.

The whole tone of it is starting to be remarkably similar to Iridium. The big hope at the start of service with the share price peaking at $53. The sudden realization that there are few handsets selling. The reluctant realization that there is not an infinite supply of rich, stupid, vertical businessmen who want to blow a bunch of money on big, expensive handsets and even more expensive minutes which can't be used many places. The easing of the share price as the dark news sinks in. Raising more money, which wasn't needed, to finance price cuts.

The rollout is unbelievable slow. It's nearly the 15th February and maybe that's when the clock starts ticking on the service providers' exclusivity contracts? Because I heard through the grapevine that that would be when the satellites are in the right place and all the holes are filled and the 48 are all doing their job. Maybe the spares are part of the contract too?

Anyway, I'm a bit busy and have to go fail at golf more miserably than sales are going for Globalstar, so see you later.

I tossed in the towel a while ago [on buying more shares]. I'll wait until the minute price is chopped to the bone to generate some feral marketing frenzy. The BIG difference between Iridium and Globalstar remains = the production cost of Globalstar minutes is way down at about 20c per minute, including gateways and handsets. So prices can drop a LONGGGGG way before we lose our shirts. Though interest payments are nibbling them off our backs while we shilly-shally at $1.50 and $1500.

I hope they are also figuring out the software to do 'Cat's Eyes' marketing too, to avoid overload at busy times. I doubt it. When we finally do get customers, they'll be frustrated at busy signals and unable to get through in emergencies. So people will buy Globalstar handsets for security, then die when they can't get through. Or maybe just lose a $$ billion contract.

Maybe ICO or Iridium, both of which seem to be going to continue in operation, will do it and they'll get the business instead of Globalstar. ICO and Iridium will provide cover everywhere too - Globalstar will never have full coverage [of NZ and the Pacific for example] at the rate we're going.

Anyone want to sell me their Globalstar shares at $15?

Maurice