Globalstar Caribbean Granted License to Provide Mobile Satellite Telephony
Business Wire - January 27, 1999 13:16
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. 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.
CONTACT: AirTouch Satellite Services
Gina Sponzilli, 925/988-4512
Jonathan Marshall, 415/658-2209
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