Globalstar Canada Begins Construction of First Canadian Gateway

SMITHS FALLS, Canada (Ontario) — September 26, 1997 — Globalstar Canada today began construction in Smiths Falls, Ontario, of the first of two planned Canadian gateways — a critical step in bringing affordable Globalstar mobile satellite services to Canada beginning in late 1998.

The event was marked by a groundbreaking ceremony that was attended by federal and local government officials, special guests, and representatives from Globalstar Canada, including Cancom (SAT), the majority shareholder; and AirTouch Communications (NYSE:ATI) and Loral Space & Communications (NYSE:LOR), the minority shareholders.

The gateway, one of 36 gateways recently purchased by Globalstar's partners in a $275 million order placed earlier this year, is a LEO (low earth orbit) satellite earth station that will route calls to and from Globalstar mobile satellite telephone users, through Canada's existing wireline and wireless telephone switching networks.

Globalstar will offer users an array of affordable mobile satellite services including basic voice telephony, as well as data, messaging, fax, paging, and position locating services, virtually anywhere in the world. Globalstar's user terminals in North America will be dual-mode — capable of providing access to both the Globalstar satellite system and the user's terrestrial cellular service.

"Cancom is very proud to be part of a such a 'space-breaking' revolution in Canada," said Alain Gourd, President and CEO of Cancom. "Over the years, we have been at the forefront of innovation in the development and management of complex and far reaching satellite networks. Now, with our strong international partners, we are entering a new level of state-of-the-art technology that will benefit both our industry and our country."

The Smiths Falls gateway is being constructed by PCL Constructors Canada Inc., a renowned construction company with offices in Nepean, Ontario. The construction is expected to create up to 35 jobs on site and will proceed swiftly. The primary facility foundations and structure are to be completed by January, and all electrical and technical elements, such as antenna pads and equipment rooms, are to be in place by early summer so that testing can commence in early July 1998.

Smiths Falls was chosen as a preferred site for the gateway after an in-depth search was made in Central Canada in which 19 siting criteria were applied. In addition to good geographical coverage, the site needed adequate soil stability, easy access to telecom facilities, and had to be outside microwave corridors.

When fully operational the gateway in Smiths Falls 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 the North American network. Cancom will operate the Globalstar Canada gateways through its Master Control Centre in Mississauga on the outskirts of Toronto.

Globalstar's first four gateways are nearing full completion in Aussaguel, France; Yeoju, South Korea; Dubbo, Australia; and Clifton, Texas, United States. The initial gateways now under contract around the world will provide service coverage to 81 countries, and initiate approximately 75% of theprojected revenue for Globalstar's services worldwide. As Globalstar expandsits 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.

Globalstar, led by Loral Space & Communications, is a partnership of the world's leading telecommunications service providers and equipment manufacturers, and includes QUALCOMM Incorporated, AirTouch Communications, Alcatel, Alenia, DACOM, Daimler-Benz Aerospace, Elsag Bailey, France Telecom, Hyundai, Space Systems/ Loral and Vodafone. Globalstar, through its strategic partnership, has service provider agreements in 105 countries. For more information, visit Globalstar's web site at www.globalstar.com.

AirTouch Communications is a global wireless communications company, with interests in cellular, paging, and PCS in the United States, Belgium, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Poland, Portugal, Romania, South Korea, Spain and Sweden, as well an interest in Globalstar L.P. AirTouch, and its subsidiary, AirTouch Satellite Services Inc., has Globalstar service provider rights in the U.S. and nine other countries. The company, based in San Francisco, serves over 8 million proportionate customers worldwide.

Loral Space & Communications Ltd., a high-technology company headquartered in New York City, concentrates on satellite manufacturing and satellite-based services. Loral manages and is the largest equity owner of Globalstarx, in which it holds a 38 percent interest. Loral's wholly owned subsidiary, Space Systems/Loral, is a premier manufacturer of commercial communications and weather satellites. Loral owns Loral Skynetr, a leading U.S. satellite communications service provider that owns and operates the Telstar satellite constellation. Loral also is the developer of CyberStar, a geostationary satellite-based, open protocol, digital telecommunications system that will offer a variety of low-cost, high-speed, data and telecommunications services worldwide, initially from leased Ku-band transponders, and subsequently through a dedicated constellation of geosynchronous Ka-band satellites.

Cancom (Canadian Satellite Communications Inc.), based in Montreal, is the foremost provider of digital satellite services in Canada. Cancom uses satellites to distribute digital television and radio signals to about 2,600 small cable companies, most of which are in remote communities out of reach of ordinary transmitters. Its Internet unit, using a similar approach, offers these communities an affordable route to the Internet. Cancom leads the field in providing digital network management and services for businesses; mobile messaging and tracking for the Canadian trucking industry; and private business television networks, with production facilities and customized content, for satellite interactive distance learning.

# # #

回首页全球星介绍新闻 技术特点合作伙伴与我们联系产品与服务