SkyTerra aims for large role in public-safety communications
The mobile satellite services, or MSS, industry has entered a resurrection period as new regulations and satellite capabilities enable companies to offer ubiquitous voice and high-speed data services to government, enterprises and consumers—without the clunky handsets of the past. One of these companies is SkyTerra Communications, formerly known as Mobile Satellite Ventures (MSV), which hosts satellite mutual-aid radio talk groups (SMARTs) that offer push-to-talk one-to-one and one-to-many communications. This week, I spoke with Chris Gates, vice president of strategy with SkyTerra, about the company’s pending introduction of a next-generation all-IP satellite and a crucial deal with Qualcomm that will bring to market inexpensive handsets with attractive form factors.
