An artist's concept of the Globalstar satellite constellation. Photo: Globalstar

Globalstar, the worldwide mobile satellite telephone service, Tuesday successfully carried out test transmissions of Internet data through the Globalstar satellite network via Qualcomm's Globalstar tri-mode telephone at the ITU America Show in Rio de Janeiro. This service, demonstrated Tuesday for the first time anywhere in Latin America, will be introduced by Globalstar on a commercial basis later this year.

This Internet demonstration, conducted by Globalstar and its technology partner, Qualcomm, proved that the Globalstar system, which already provides voice communications from virtually any point on earth, will also be able to support data and Internet connectivity as part of its overall range of services.

"The Internet has opened up tremendous opportunities across Latin America on both a business and personal level," said Joel Schindall, Globalstar's senior vice president of systems development. "Now Globalstar can bring basic Internet service to parts of the region and the world outside the range of cellular phone service or any phone service at all."

Globalstar satellite telephone service is already available today in ten countries across South and Central America, providing clear, high-quality telephone communications to customers such as businesspeople in agriculture, transportation, and maritime, who depend on this system to stay in touch where land-based phone systems simply do not reach. The company expects to add packetized data services to its existing voice service on a commercial basis this summer, and will add other data services across its network during the second half of 2000.

At the ITU show demonstration, a standard laptop computer was connected to a Qualcomm tri-mode telephone that operates in AMPS (analog), CDMA (digital cellular) or over the Globalstar satellite network. E-mail messages and other data traffic were then transmitted and received through the Qualcomm telephone to the Globalstar satellite network and across the Internet at rates of up to 9600 bps. Globalstar's system design, based on Qualcomm's CDMA technology, also has the capability to provide significantly higher data rates in the future.

The Globalstar system provides affordable satellite-based digital voice services to a broad range of subscribers. Globalstar meets the needs of cellular users as well as mobile subscribers outside cellular coverage, and residents without existing telephone service. Globalstar service is available in Latin America through individual country service providers, including Globalstar do Brasil, Globalstar America, and various TE.SA.M. offices throughout South America.