Globalstar has signed an agreement with Taiwan's Chunghwa Telecom granting exclusive rights to provide Globalstar mobile satellite services in Taiwan beginning in 1999.
"Taiwan represents an important market and a key ingredient in our
strategy to provide satellite-based services throughout Asia and the
world," said Mr. Ming Louie, Globalstar vice president of Asia-Pacific
business development, at the signing ceremony in Taipei. ¿The addition
of Chunghwa Telecom to Globalstar's worldwide network of service
providers brings to 117 the number of countries with service provider
agreements, providing Globalstar access to more than 90 percent of its
projected 2002 subscriber base of three million.¿
"Chunghwa's participation in Globalstar is a natural evolution in its
continued commitment to investment in new communications services and
technologies," commented Dr. S. C. Lu, president and CEO of Chunghwa
Telecom.
Under the service agreement, Chunghwa, the leading telecommunications
services provider in Taiwan, will own the sole right to Globalstar
services in Taiwan. Chunghwa will also be responsible for the
construction and operation of Taiwan's Globalstar gateway.
The Globalstar system, comprising 48 low-earth-orbit (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 narrow-band data
transmission, messaging, and facsimile services.
Some subscribers will use portable phones similar to today's cellular
phones, with dual-mode or tri-mode capability so subscribers can switch
from conventional analog or digital cellular telephony to satellite
telephony as required. Subscribers in rural and remote areas may make
or receive calls through fixed-site telephones, similar either to phone
booths or ordinary residential and business telephones. Globalstar
phones will communicate through a Globalstar satellite to a gateway–or
ground station — that in turn will connect calls into the existing
terrestrial telecommunications network.
Globalstar currently has eight satellites in orbit and expects to have a
minimum of 32 satellites in its constellation to initiate commercial
service in the Fall of 1999. Five Globalstar gateways are being used to
control and test the satellite system, and site work and construction is
under way at 20 more gateway sites around the world. Globalstar plans to
start commercial services around the world in the Fall of 1999.
About Chunghwa Telecom
Chunghwa Telecom Co, Ltd., the largest telecommunications services
provider in Taiwan, succeeded the Directorate General of
Telecommunications (DGT) to perform its services and operations as a
state-owned company, while DGT was restructured to act as a regulatory
body only. Such reorganization is intended to implement ROC government¿s
liberalization policies, to upgrade service quality for the rapidly
growing demands in local telecom markets, and to explore overseas
telecom market niches. As of July 1, 1998, Chunghwa Telecom has 34,747
employees to handle network operations and service marketing for over 16
million subscribers, including fixed telephones, mobile phones, radio
paging and internet services.
