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


To: Jon Koplik who wrote (16038)8/21/2000 8:48:42 PM
From: BobRealEstate  Respond to of 29987
 
Jon, remember Carib is UP now via gateway in Venezuela. First G* knocks out the Inmarsat phones in the Carib and then will go after the rest of the world from there. Inmarsat will be a much smaller co. in five years unless they buy G* or merge with ICO imo.



To: Jon Koplik who wrote (16038)8/21/2000 9:03:32 PM
From: Michaelth1  Read Replies (4) | Respond to of 29987
 
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.



To: Jon Koplik who wrote (16038)8/21/2000 9:26:29 PM
From: unclewest  Read Replies (3) | Respond to of 29987
 
I thought there are MANY ships that just go "around and around" in the Caribbean area (within reach of Globalstar's soon to be operational gateway in Puerto Rico).

you are more right than you know.

equally interesting...there are some 10,000 private boats that travel from west palm beach area to the bahamas and return some weeks...this is just one area of south florida.

i got the numbers from the coast guard station in jupiter, florida which is just a few miles north of north palm beach.



To: Jon Koplik who wrote (16038)8/22/2000 2:23:27 PM
From: pcstel  Respond to of 29987
 
Jon:

There are some cruise lines like Carnival which cater to the lower end of the cruise ship market that are stationed primarily in the Caribbean.. Which might be able to transition to Globalstar service.. But again.. These cater to the "cost consciences cruiser".. Where other lines cater more to the "high end crowd". Like the cruise bound souls that perished on the Concord in Paris..

Here is Carnivals current offerings!!

carnivalcruiselines.com

As you can see. These cruises cater to the cost consciences" traveler.

Good Luck,
PCSTEL