Globalstar Brings the Super Back to Wi-Fi

Globalstar is going to expand Wi-Fi with its Terrestrial Low Power Service (TLPS), in effect creating a channel 14 that it will leverage to deliver new services while minimizing the impact on equipment changes for the end user. A highly compelling offer, Globalstar points out that via Wi-Fi they will deliver 100 MB services and increase capacity by a third. The company expects to gain the necessary approval for using the spectrum for Wi-Fi like services during 2Q ‘14.

In a recent press release, Globalstar’s Chairman and CEO Jay Monroe stated that they “have waited a long time to be in the position to announce this breakthrough product, and I’d like to thank the entire development team for their unending perseverance.”

As part of the migration to its Wi-Fi solution, Globalstar has promised to deliver 20,000 TLPS systems to schools and other governmental agencies that can utilize these systems in emergency services, where intruders have perhaps penetrated school security or other crisis-need communications systems. In addition, the company will also make the service available for free in places in which the federal government has declared a disaster area.

On the consumer side, Globalstar’s SAT-FI product takes advantage of the company channel that is adjacent to existing Wi-Fi spectrum to support existing devices (e.g., smartphones, tablets, PCs), allowing customers to make use of the SAT-FI Hotspot that connects to the company’s satellite. Also, in addition to not requiring special adjunct equipment to your existing devices, Globalstar’s application assures connectivity for voice and text calls to your existing phone number.

I said all of this was “consumer-side”, but don’t lose sight of the fact that we are talking about satellite, and as such the price is higher than most of us will be willing to pay. As the press release says… “Like all Globalstar mobile satellite solutions, SAT-FI is built and priced to appeal to a broad addressable market, including enterprise and government customers as well as the mass consumer market. Whether on land or at sea, SAT-FI subscribers will be able to maintain constant, reliable connectivity when traveling in and out of cellular coverage with seamless handoff capabilities, while permitting numerous individuals to communicate through a single SAT-FI hotspot using their existing devices and phone numbers.”

Beyond those of us, who normally have connectivity, Globalstar points out that “roughly two billion people in the world either live, work or play beyond the range of terrestrial networks.” Of course, this does not include those of us that have had suffered hurricanes, tornados and other disasters, and while cellular can offer coverage maps, nothing gets to those hard-to-reach spots quite like satellites.