A bit more market research: there is little interest in Fujisawa [I mistakenly called it Fujikawa], Japan, for Iridium and the shop had sold no handsets and had little interest. Also, in a highly built-up, high socioeconomic area in Kamakura, there is very poor cellular coverage. Perhaps the high density of buildings makes cellular coverage difficult. So even in what would seem to be a very easily covered area, there are substantial service gaps, so a Globalstar system would fill those in.
Globalstar is increasingly looking like the 'national footprint' provider for many countries to fill in the terrestrial gaps. The Iridium handset literature shows a dual-mode normal cellphone which clips into the Iridium mount to turn it into an Iridium phone, so that if coverage is fine for day to day needs, one needn't cart around the whole handset, which is still fairly large. That is a convenient way to give a national footprint.
Perhaps Globalstar handsets will shrink quite quickly and such an idea will be pointless, but it's always an option.
Oliver asked:
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Does anyone know wether its possible to receive a call, obviously with clear view of the sky, with the phone hanging on a belt-clip (not quite pocket-size yet I think) with THE ANTENNA RETRACTED??
I hope the answer is yes!
Also I'll repeat my question from a previous post since I didn't get an answer: Which part of the Vodaphone network has G* signed with? ie Europe?, ATI (US)? Vodaphone Australia, New Zealand? I ask because djane posted those comments that Vodaphone believes 7-10% of their customer base would be interested (but wouldn't necessarily buy?). If that applies to Vodaphone Europe with their coverage it would be astounding!
------------------------------------------------------------------
Just a guess, but I suppose with the aerial stowed, it is still connected and the signal from the satellite would be enough to ring the bell, but the aerial would need to be up to get a signal most effectively back up to the satellite. So with the phone just lying on the ground, with the aerial stowed, a call will be announced.
The world is divided up between the few service providers with Vodafone/Airtouch the biggie about to make a fortune offering seamless national service at cheap prices. The country allocations for service providers was established and published some time ago. Maybe there's a url somewhere.
Maurice
PS: Yes, the globalstar.com strategic partners url lists coverage areas for each.
AirTouch has exclusive rights to provide Globalstar service in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Japan.
China Telecom, a subsidiary of China's Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, will act as the sole distributor of Globalstar services in China. China Telecom will own and operate four planned Globalstar ground stations
DACOM will provide Globalstar services in South Korea.
France Telecom and Alcatel have formed a joint venture known as TE.SA.M (Télécommunications par Satellites Mobiles) which has been granted the right to act as an exclusive Globalstar service provider in thirty one countries, including Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Equador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, Venezuela, Andorra, France (and DOM TOM), Belgium, Spain, Gibraltar, Luxembourg, Monaco, Portugal, Netherlands, Poland, Czech Republic, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Senegal, Tunisia, Egypt, Lebanon, Turkey, and Vietnam.
Vodafone has been granted the right to act as an exclusive Globalstar service provider in eight countries, including Australia, Sweden, South Africa, Greece, Denmark, Malta, Hong Kong and the United Kingdom
Elsacom, an Elsag Bailey/Finmeccanica company, based in Rome, Italy, has been granted the right to act as an exclusive Globalstar service provider in 24 countries, including, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Serbia, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Albania, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Macedonia, Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Denmark. Through its subsidiary Elsacom Ukraine, Elsacom will also provide services to Ukraine, Moldavia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia.
The list didn't mention Hyundai or NZ!! |
