Editing Globalstar (section)

==History==
The Globalstar project was launched in 1991 as a joint venture of [[Loral Corporation]] and [[Qualcomm]]. On March 24, 1994, the two sponsors announced the formation of Globalstar LP, a [[limited partnership]] established in the U.S., with financial participation from eight other companies, including [[Alcatel-Lucent|Alcatel]], [[AirTouch]], [[Deutsche Aerospace]], [[Hyundai Group|Hyundai]], and [[Vodafone]]. At that time, the company predicted the system would launch in 1998, based on an investment of $1.8 billion.

Globalstar said in March 1994 that it expected to charge $0.65 per minute for cellular service, compared to $3 per minute from Iridium. By then it had a worldwide license from the [[World Administrative Radio Conference]].<ref name="wexler19940328globalstar">{{Cite magazine |last=Wexler |first=Joanie |date=1994-03-28 |title=Satellites galore |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aBAEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA24#v=onepage&q&f=true |access-date=2024-12-31 |magazine=Network World |page=58}}</ref> Globalstar received its US spectrum allocation from the [[Federal Communications Commission|FCC]] in January 1995, and continued to negotiate with other nations for rights to use the same radio frequencies in their countries.

The first satellites were launched in February 1998, but system deployment was delayed due to a launch failure in September 1998 that resulted in the loss of 12 satellites in a launch by the [[Russian Space Agency]].

The first call on the original Globalstar system was placed on November 1, 1998, from Qualcomm chairman [[Irwin M. Jacobs|Irwin Jacobs]] in [[San Diego]] to [[Loral Space & Communications]] CEO and chairman [[Bernard L. Schwartz|Bernard Schwartz]] in [[New York City]].

In October 1999, the system began "friendly user" trials with 44 of 48 planned satellites. In December 1999, the system began limited commercial service for 200 users with the full 48 satellites (no spares in orbit). In February 2000, it began full commercial service with its 48 satellites and 4 spares in North America, Europe, and Brazil. Another eight satellites were maintained as ground spares. Initial prices were $1.79/minute for satellite phone calls.

Following the [[September 11 attacks]] in 2001, [[Irwin M. Jacobs|Irwin Jacobs]] had his private jet re-classified as an experimental aircraft for the purpose of developing an aviation application of Globalstar. The experimental system not only provided voice and data services to the cockpit and passenger cabin, but also tied in with the aircraft's data bus and provided [[Global Positioning System|GPS]] location service.  Ground monitoring of aircraft location, heading, speed, and mechanical parameters such as oil pressure and engine [[Revolutions per minute|RPM]] were demonstrated.  Video surveillance of the cockpit and cabin were also demonstrated.  To work around Globalstar's low data rate, the experimental system used multiple user terminals (UTs) in parallel.  Each UT could be configured for voice, or as a member of a [[Link aggregation|bonded link group]] for internet access.<ref>{{cite web |author1=Simon Romero |title=Qualcomm Plans Globalstar Airborne System |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/10/29/business/qualcomm-plans-globalstar-airborne-system.html |publisher=New York Times |date=29 October 2001 |access-date=1 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111020191232/https://www.nytimes.com/2001/10/29/business/qualcomm-plans-globalstar-airborne-system.html |archive-date=20 October 2011}}</ref>

On February 15, 2002, the predecessor company Globalstar (old Globalstar) and three of its subsidiaries filed voluntary petitions under [[Chapter 11, Title 11, United States Code|Chapter 11]] of the United States Bankruptcy Code.

In 2004, restructuring of the old Globalstar was completed. The first stage of the restructuring was completed on December 5, 2003, when Thermo Capital Partners LLC was deemed to obtain operational control of the business, as well as certain ownership rights and risks. Thermo Capital Partners became the principal owner.

Globalstar LLC was formed as a Delaware limited liability company in November 2003 and was converted into Globalstar, Inc., on March 17, 2006.

In 2007, Globalstar launched eight additional first-generation spare satellites into space to help compensate for the premature failure of their in-orbit satellites. Between 2010 and 2013, Globalstar launched 24 second-generation satellites in an effort to restore their system to full service.

Between 2010 and 2011, Globalstar moved its headquarters from Silicon Valley to [[Covington, Louisiana]] in part to take advantage of the state's tax breaks and low cost of living.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://siliconbayounews.com/2011/08/09/globalstar-hits-milestone-exceeding-100-jobs-after-moving-from-silicon-valley-to-covington/|title=Globalstar Hits Milestone Exceeding 100 Jobs After Moving From Silicon Valley to Covington|work=Silicon Bayou News|date=9 August 2011}}</ref>

In April 2018, Globalstar announced it would merge with FiberLight in a deal valued at $1.65 billion.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-fiberlight-m-a-globalstar/globalstar-to-merge-with-fiberlight-in-1-65-billion-deal-idUSKBN1HW1PG|title=Globalstar to merge with FiberLight in $1.65 billion deal|date=2018-04-25|work=Reuters|access-date=2018-04-25|language=en-US}}</ref> That deal was called off in August 2018 following a lawsuit from Globalstar's largest investor, [[Mudrick Capital Management]].<ref name="nocb">{{cite web |url=https://neworleanscitybusiness.com/blog/2018/08/03/globalstars-1-65b-merger-terminated/ |title=Globalstar's $1.65B merger terminated|date=August 3, 2018 |website=New Orleans City Business |access-date=April 14, 2021}}</ref>

In March 2020, Globalstar announced that the [[3GPP|Third Generation Partnership Project]] ("3GPP") had approved the 5G variant of Globalstar's Band 53, to become known as n53.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/globalstar-announces-3gpp-approval-band-202000916.html|title=Globalstar Announces 3GPP Approval of Band 53 as a 5G Band}}</ref>

On March 6, 2021, Globalstar announced to customers that the Sat-Fi2 (Satellite Wifi Hotspot) and Sat-Fi2 RAS (Remote Antenna Station) services would be discontinued as of March 12, 2021.

On September 7, 2022, Apple announced a cooperation with Globalstar Inc that "would allow iPhone 14 users to send emergency messages" via satellite, starting in the U.S. and Canada.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/apple-picks-globalstar-satellite-service-iphone-14-series-2022-09-07/ |title=Apple picks Globalstar for emergency satellite service on iPhone 14|date=September 7, 2022 |website=REUTERS |access-date=September 12, 2022}}</ref> Apple would go on to release the feature on future iPhone models.

On October 29th 2024, Globalstar disclosed in an SEC filing that Apple had agreed to purchase a 20% stake in the company.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Shakir |first=Umar |date=2024-11-01 |title=Apple is buying 20 percent of its iPhone satellite services partner |url=https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/1/24285347/apple-globalstar-investment-expansion-emergency-sos-satellite |access-date=2024-11-02 |work=The Verge |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=SEC Filing - Globalstar, Inc. |url=https://investors.globalstar.com/node/15606/html |access-date=2024-11-02 |website=investors.globalstar.com}}</ref>