Globalstar is a study in corporate survival. It lives on while its 90’s cohort Iridium didn’t make it.
Consider the journey:
2002: Bankruptcy.
2007: Satellite amplifier failures threatened its voice service.
2010–2013: A replacement constellation helped restore capacity.
2022: Apple's iPhone Emergency SOS gave Globalstar a major new purpose.
2024: Apple committed approximately $1.5 billion in investment and infrastructure funding.
Now: This acquisition by Amazon would bring Globalstar's satellite assets and spectrum into Amazon's competition with Starlink, while preserving satellite services for Apple devices.
> 2022: Apple's iPhone Emergency SOS gave Globalstar a major new purpose.
I wondered who it was that Apple was using for that but never looked into it. Was it for any particular reason on Apple's part other than it probably saved them a bundle compared to going with literally anyone else? Or is there something else I'm missing? Just curious. I wish I could be a fly on the wall for some of these corporate events nobody thinks too much about.
Bankruptcy doesn't mean that assets will be destroyed. Valuable assets (including satellites, brand etc.) will be sold off to new owners, and the proceeds go to the lenders.
Two types of bankruptcy in the U.S.: liquidation and reorganization. The latter lets a company reshuffle assets and debt and schedule new payment plans to continue to exist as a going concern. It often wipes out shareholders.
The news is that the FCC approved the acquisition. It was already announced back in April that Amazon would be purchasing Globalstar. I don’t think anyone expected it to be held up by regulators.
Those are very absolute statements. And mayeb you're not aware, but if you notice people pulling away from you in conversation or it's difficult for you to maintain longterm, deep, relationships, it might be partly because of the way you express yourself. And it probably comes from a good place, you might just want to warn people to not go through whatever bad experience you had. But it is a very one way type of communication. It doesn't allow anybody except those that agree. But those that agree won't agree on some other big statement and you'll still resent each other.
Just something to think about as you navigate the challenges of social interactions. The best to you.
Globalstar is a study in corporate survival. It lives on while its 90’s cohort Iridium didn’t make it.
Consider the journey:
2002: Bankruptcy.
2007: Satellite amplifier failures threatened its voice service.
2010–2013: A replacement constellation helped restore capacity.
2022: Apple's iPhone Emergency SOS gave Globalstar a major new purpose.
2024: Apple committed approximately $1.5 billion in investment and infrastructure funding.
Now: This acquisition by Amazon would bring Globalstar's satellite assets and spectrum into Amazon's competition with Starlink, while preserving satellite services for Apple devices.
Iridium has a museum: iridium museum.com
> 2022: Apple's iPhone Emergency SOS gave Globalstar a major new purpose.
I wondered who it was that Apple was using for that but never looked into it. Was it for any particular reason on Apple's part other than it probably saved them a bundle compared to going with literally anyone else? Or is there something else I'm missing? Just curious. I wish I could be a fly on the wall for some of these corporate events nobody thinks too much about.
Iridium exists today, refreshed their constellation with Iridium NEXT just a few years ago, and was just bought by Rocket Lab for $8 billion.
(disclaimer: my Dad worked there for years)
the person you are responding to seems to have massively massively downplayed iridium then….
walmart has a museum too
https://www.visitbentonville.com/blog/stories/post/the-new-w...
This is giving me real Severance Perpetuity Wing vibes.
You're not lying.
"The wait is finally over—the Walmart Museum is back and better than ever!"
"This video series is intended to be updated as time goes on, so go ahead and come back on your next visit to experience more messages!"
https://www.iridiummuseum.com/
> 2002: Bankruptcy.
Why wasn't this the end?
Bankruptcy doesn't mean that assets will be destroyed. Valuable assets (including satellites, brand etc.) will be sold off to new owners, and the proceeds go to the lenders.
Two types of bankruptcy in the U.S.: liquidation and reorganization. The latter lets a company reshuffle assets and debt and schedule new payment plans to continue to exist as a going concern. It often wipes out shareholders.
What? Doesn’t iridium exist?
It does. That is until its acquisition by Rocket Lab completes in 2027.
The link didn't work for me.
https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/us-agency-app...
US agency approves Amazon Leo’s $11.5 billion acquisition of Globalstar By David Shepardson October 27, 2026
This link works, on the original I am getting a 404
The original duplicates the path
Here's the link:
https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/amazon-signs-...
Previous discussion about the deal on HN (119 comments): https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47775183
The news is that the FCC approved the acquisition. It was already announced back in April that Amazon would be purchasing Globalstar. I don’t think anyone expected it to be held up by regulators.
Edit: proper link to it https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/us-agency-app...
The deal was announced in April. It just got FCC approval.
How does Globalstar's offering compare to Starlink?
9.6Kbps
Not a joke
Au Contraire, that bandwidth is definitely a joke.
The spectrum and various other rights are probably worth more than the current kit.
Does it also make modem sounds??
Well that’s more than most people can get out of Leo today so it’s a start!
That's their legacy product.
2nd gen is 256 Kbps
That's enough bandwidth to play Trade Wars and SRE so it's good enough for me.
Why no Legend of the Red Dragon? :(
What about LORD?
9600bps ought to be enough for anyone.
Every satellite internet provider other than Starlink is complete garbage. Slow, unreliable, useless.
Those are very absolute statements. And mayeb you're not aware, but if you notice people pulling away from you in conversation or it's difficult for you to maintain longterm, deep, relationships, it might be partly because of the way you express yourself. And it probably comes from a good place, you might just want to warn people to not go through whatever bad experience you had. But it is a very one way type of communication. It doesn't allow anybody except those that agree. But those that agree won't agree on some other big statement and you'll still resent each other.
Just something to think about as you navigate the challenges of social interactions. The best to you.
Do you have experience in satellite Internet? I do, and he's not wrong. Your snarky comment is off topic and isn't adding anything here, imo.
404 for me
I get 9600.
Just use Thuraya or Inmarsat.
On the same note: https://investors.globalstar.com/news-releases/news-release-...
The new direct-to-device network Amazon is getting their hands on is now approved and live on the air.