Globalstar Gets Approval For Terrestrial Service
Top message: very interesting by nextel18
Replying to: Re: very interesting by speedman_2001
global roaming
speedman_2001 said:
Wouldn't this also be a possibility - With a satellite connection, you could theoretically go anywhere in the world ...
No. Satellite does not equal global coverage.
Most satellites for this type of service are geostationary, meaning it's just one satellite (or a handful) that stay in orbit above a fixed point above the equator. If they were as far away as the moon, they might cover almost half the planet (but not quite). Of course human-made satellites are much closer than the moon, so they only cover a circular area under them.
The exception is/was Iridium, the only satellite phone service to provide true global coverage, even at the poles and in the middle of the ocean. To do that, they had to launch a huge number of small satellites with criss-crossing paths circling the planet. It was insanely expensive, which is why they went through multiple bankruptcies.
... and use the number that you currently have, no matter where you are. Just a thought.
Well, if you stick to moderately populated areas, you can do that now with any quad-band phone. (GSM or CDMA/GSM) You don't need a satellite to roam overseas.
Replies
- This is a good idea or bad idea? by nextel18
