GLOBALSTAR granted LICENSE.Globalstar Caribbean Granted License to Provide Mobile Satellite Telephony
KINGSTON, Jamaica--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 27, 1999--Globalstar Caribbean Ltd. is pleased to announce that the Post & Telecommunications Department of Jamaica granted its approval to provide mobile wireless services in Jamaica using the Globalstar satellite-based communications system. Globalstar Caribbean Ltd. is wholly owned and controlled by AirTouch Satellite Services, Inc. (a subsidiary of AirTouch Communications, Inc. NYSE: ATI).
The Jamaica license is the first license granted to Globalstar Caribbean Ltd. which will provide Globalstar services throughout the Caribbean. This license, the initial step in a series of regulatory approvals, allows Globalstar Caribbean Ltd. to use the radio frequency spectrum required by the Globalstar system and to establish in-country distribution of Globalstar services. Globalstar Caribbean Ltd. has already signed up its first Jamaican non-exclusive distribution partner, Jamaica Communications Ltd., and now joins service providers in about 117 countries planning to offer Globalstar service.
Mike Kerr, Vice President of Globalstar Caribbean Ltd., said; ''This newly granted license secures the crucial role that Jamaica will play in our strategy to bring the benefits of Globalstar service to all of the Caribbean. We look forward to providing cellular quality satellite communications coverage at affordable rates throughout North America and the Caribbean.''
The Globalstar satellite system is scheduled to begin operations in 3Q'99. The Globalstar system will provide high quality, affordable mobile satellite voice, fax, and data service via a small hand-held phone. The multi-mode phone will operate in traditional cellular modes (using the local cellular network), or satellite mode when beyond cellular coverage. When in satellite mode, the phone will communicate with one of 48 Globalstar satellites circling the earth which then bounces the signal back down to the nearest earth station and will interconnect to the local telephone system (PSTN) or private networks.
AirTouch Satellite Services, Inc. is a subsidiary of AirTouch Communications with Globalstar service provider rights in North America, the Caribbean, and three other countries. AirTouch Communications is the largest wireless company in the world based on the total number of customers served by its ventures. AirTouch owns interests in cellular, paging, and personal communications services in the United States, Belgium, Egypt, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Poland, Portugal, Romania, South Korea, Spain, and Sweden, as well as an interest in the Globalstar satellite system. AirTouch ventures serve over 17 million customers based on its ownership share of its global ventures. For more information, visit www.airtouch.com/globalstar.
Based in San Jose, Calif., Globalstar, L.P. is a limited partnership led by Loral Space & Communications Ltd., of New York City. Along with co-founder Qualcomm Inc. [Nasdaq:QCOM - news] of San Diego, the partnership includes 10 of the world's leading telecommunications service providers and equipment manufacturers.
''Safe Harbor'' Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Except for the historical information presented, the matters discussed throughout this release are forward-looking statements and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. Such factors include: a change in economic conditions in the various markets served by AirTouch Satellite Services' operations which would adversely affect the level of demand for Globalstar wireless services; higher than anticipated costs associated with the deployment of Globalstar service, which could result in higher than anticipated pricing, delays in service roll-out due to regulatory issues, technology issues, and or other service development issues, the possibility that technologies will not perform according to expectations or that vendor performance will not meet requirements, the impact of new business opportunities requiring significant up-front investments; the impact on capital spending from the deployment of Globalstar; and higher than anticipated costs associated with addressing the Year 2000 problem. These and other factors related to the business are described in the AirTouch Communications' SEC filings, including in its 10-K under ''Investment Considerations'' and the quarterly reports on Form 10-Q.
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Contact:
AirTouch Satellite Services
Gina Sponzilli, 925/988-4512
Jonathan Marshall, 415/658-2209
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