FCC Grants Globalstar Authority to Operate Second-Generation Satellite Constellation Over the United States

COVINGTON, La., Mar 2011 (GlobeNewswire via COMTEX) -- Globalstar, Inc. (Nasdaq:GSAT), a leading provider of mobile satellite voice and data services to businesses, governments and consumers, today announced that the International Bureau of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has granted Globalstar authority to operate its second-generation satellites within the United States. This authority will become effective once Globalstar completes registering the constellation with France, which is expected to occur in the near future.

 

Globalstar successfully launched the first six satellites of its second-generation constellation on October 19, 2010. Four of these satellites are now operational and providing revenue bearing services with the remaining two satellites from the first launch expected to reach their operational planes shortly. As permitted by the Commission's decision, once the French registration process is completed, Globalstar will immediately activate its ground and mobile stations in North America to begin communicating with the new satellites, thus improving coverage availability for Globalstar voice and duplex data customers in the United States, Canada, Northern Mexico, Puerto Rico and the surrounding regions. The four new operational satellites have previously been providing improved coverage for Globalstar customers throughout the remainder of the Company's global coverage footprint.

 

Last week Globalstar announced it had taken delivery of six new second-generation satellites which the Company expects to launch in May. Globalstar plans to conduct two additional launches of six satellites per launch within 60-90 days following the previous launch. All three launches will utilize the highly reliable Soyuz launch vehicle, and each will be conducted from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

 

##

 

About Globalstar, Inc.

With over 425,000 subscribers, Globalstar is a leading provider of mobile satellite voice and data services. Globalstar offers these services to commercial customers and recreational consumers in more than 120 countries around the world. The Company's products include mobile and fixed satellite telephones, simplex and duplex satellite data modems, the SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger and flexible service packages. Many land based and maritime industries benefit from Globalstar with increased productivity from remote areas beyond cellular and landline service. Global customer segments include: oil and gas, government, mining, forestry, commercial fishing, utilities, military, transportation, heavy construction, emergency preparedness, and business continuity as well as individual recreational users. Globalstar data solutions are ideal for various asset and personal tracking, data monitoring and SCADA applications.