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E-mail: john.cunningham@globalstar.com
| News For Immediate Release |
| Contact: John Cunningham Globalstar, L.P. (408) 473-7145 |
First Commercial Globalstar Gateway Under Construction In Beijing
BEIJING -- September 15, 1997 -- CHINASAT, a division of the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications (MPT) of China, has commenced construction of the first commercial Globalstar gateway in China. CHINASAT has also taken a major step in initiating Globalstar services across China with the dedication of a new company, the China Telecoms Mobile Satellite Telecommunications company, that will manage all Globalstar operations in China. The gateway is located at
CHINASAT's extensive satellite control and telecommunications facility on the outskirts of Beijing, and is the first of three gateways to be built in China. Subsequent gateways will be built shortly thereafter in Guangzhou and Lanzhou, where siting and survey work is underway.
This gateway is the first of the 36 gateways recently purchased by Globalstar's partners in a $275 million order placed earlier this year. Globalstar and its partners have been conducting surveying and site preparation work at each of the 36 gateway sites, with construction due to start soon. Globalstar's first four gateways have are nearing full completion in Aussaguel, France; Yeoju, South Korea; Dubbo, Australia; and Clifton, Texas, United States. The initial gateways now under contract will provide service coverage to 81 countries, and will develop approximately 75% of the projected revenue for Globalstar's services worldwide. As Globalstar expands its coverage, these gateways will eventually form part of a network of up to 100 gateways that will bring global voice, fax and data services to virtually every inhabited corner of the world.
Construction of the Beijing gateway has been proceeding swiftly, and the primary facility foundations and structure have been completed, and the antenna pads and equipment rooms are under construction. In conjunction to the construction and antenna foundation installation, Government Services Inc. (Globalstar Data Network contractor) will be on site to start survey activities in order to connect the new gateway to the Globalstar Data Network.
The gateway, a satellite earth station which connects the Globalstar satellite system to existing terrestrial switching equipment, is being constructed in a joint effort by Globalstar and CHINASAT. When fully operational the gateway will have four C-band antennas, providing uplinks between frequencies 5090-5250 MHz, and downlinks between frequencies 6875-7075 Mhz to interconnect the Globalstar satellites with China's PSTN and PLMN networks. CHINASAT will own and operate the Globalstar gateways that provide services to China.
Under the service agreement announced 11 November, 1996, CHINASAT will act as the sole distributor of Globalstar services in China, will own and operate the Globalstar ground stations, and will be responsible for interconnecting the Globalstar system with China's existing wireline and wireless infrastructure. Including China, Globalstar now has service provider agreements in more than 105 countries covering 85% of Globalstar's business plan. The $2.5 billion Globalstar system, comprised of 48 low-earth-orbiting (LEO) satellites and a global network of ground stations, will allow people around the world to make or receive calls using hand-held, vehicle-mounted and fixed-site terminals. Globalstar will also provide data transmission, paging, facsimile and position location.
Some subscribers in China will use mobile terminals, similar to today's cellular phones, with dual-mode capability so users can switch from satellite telephony to conventional cellular telephony as required. Users in China's rural and remote areas may make or receive calls through fixed-site telephones, similar either to phone booths or ordinary wireline telephones. Subscriber terminals will communicate through a Globalstar satellite to one of China's planned gateways--or ground stations --that in turn will connect calls into China's existing telecommunications network.
Globalstar expects to serve more than 200,000 subscribers in China by the year 2002, representing approximately eight percent of Globalstar's total planned worldwide subscribers for 2002. China's telephony penetration rate is currently less than 5 per cent. Some 500,000 rural Chinese communities are in need of improved telecommunications services. The Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications currently serves more than 10 million cellular subscribers in China which has a population of 1.2 billion people.
Based in Beijing, CHINASAT is responsible for managing, operating and administrating domestic civil telecommunications and broadcast satellite systems and for developing and operating satellite telecommunications services, broadcast services, TV transmission services, and mobile telecommunications services. CHINASAT owns several telecommunications satellites, a first class TT&C (telemetry, tracking and control) earth station, and other supporting facilities. It built and operates China's largest VSAT (very small aperture terminal) networks.
Globalstar is a partnership of the world's leading telecommunications service providers and equipment manufacturers, AirTouch Communications, Alcatel, Alenia, Dacom, Daimler-Benz Aerospace, Elsag Bailey, France Telecom, Hyundai, Loral Space & Communications Ltd., QUALCOMM Incorporated, Space Systems/Loral and Vodafone.
Loral Space & Communications Ltd. is a high technology company headquartered in New York that concentrates on satellite manufacturing and satellite-based services. Loral manages and is the largest equity owner of Globalstar, in which it holds a 38% interest, and owner of Space Systems/Loral, a leading manufacturer of large, high-powered satellites for telecommunications and environmental applications.
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