To: Diogeron who wrote (563 ) 4/5/1998 10:13:00 AM From: dougjn Respond to of 2693
Here is all of the Globalstar disclosure related to the same topic in its latest 10=K. It sure looks to me like G* is gonna have a lot higher quality system from a business travelers point of view. Globalstar talks abut the CORE of high rise buildings. Pretty different disclosure. CDMA and Signal Path Diversity seem to make a real difference. << Based on terrestrial simulations of the Globalstar System, Globalstar expects that its digital voice services will have clarity, quality and privacy similar to those of existing digital land-based cellular systems. Moreover, the system has been designed to minimize call interruptions ("dropped calls") resulting from movements on the part of the user or the satellites..... The Globalstar System will function best when there is an unobstructed line-of-sight between the user and one or more of the Globalstar satellites overhead. Competing systems without Globalstar's path diversity depend on each user maintaining contact with a single satellite. Obstacles such as buildings, trees or mountainous terrain may degrade service quality, more so than would be the case with terrestrial cellular systems, and service may not be available in the core of high-rise buildings.... ************* << Multiple Satellite Coverage; Soft Handoff. CDMA digital communications technology combined with continuous multiple satellite coverage and signal path diversity (a patented SS/L method of signal reception not available to competing systems) will enable the Globalstar System to provide service to a wide variety of locations, with less potential for signal blockage from buildings, terrain or other natural features. Globalstar phones have been designed to operate with a single satellite in view, although typically signals from two to four satellites overhead will be combined to provide service. Therefore, the loss of an individual satellite is not expected to result in any gap in global coverage. Each mobile Globalstar phone has been designed to communicate with as many as three satellites simultaneously, combining the signals received to ensure maximum service quality. As satellites are constantly moving in and out of view, they will be seamlessly added to and removed from the calls in progress, thereby reducing the risk of call interruption.>>