Globalstar’s Sat-Fi lets consumer devices leverage satellite connectivity

For voice calls, the Sat-Fi will meet Globalstar’s typical audio standards, which has been undisputed best voice quality in the MSS industry,” Rembert said. In addition, the calls to and from Sat-Fi will not appear to be different from those made from a commercial terrestrial network, unlike some satellite services, he said.

“If somebody wants to call me when I’m on a boat or in a truck outside of cell coverage and I’ve got they Sat-Fi technology, they just dial my normal number and it rings right through,” Rembert said. “And vice versa, when I want to call them, they see my phone number come through on the other end, which we think is a huge benefit—today, you usually see ‘Unknown’ or some crazy number that people aren’t going to answer.”

Globalstar developed the Sat-Fi primarily with its core markets—public safety, government and enterprise users that require connectivity, regardless of location—in mind, Rembert said.

“First responders have always relied on Globalstar—for Katrina, Sandy, blackouts, we’re there,” he said. “This just adds an ease of use that we haven’t had in the past.”

Globalstar has not released details about the physical characteristics of the Sat-Fi solution, but the elements will be something similar to a Wi-Fi router and a remote antenna that can be placed on the roof of a vehicle or building, Rembert said.

Globalstar plans to make the Sat-Fi commercially available during the first half of this year. Pricing has not been announced, but the solution initially is expected to cost several hundred dollars, Rembert said.

“We’ve always had the best voice quality, the fastest data speeds and the best pricing, and we’ll continue to do that with Sat-Fi,” he said.