This new service enhancement is the result of a hardware upgrade to the European ground station, or gateway, which is operated by Globalstar to provide satellite customers access to ground-based public telephone and data networks.

Globalstar simplex data service has already been available in the U.S. and Canada since 2003, and in the Middle East and parts of Europe since earlier this year.

The Globalstar simplex data offering is a low-cost, one-way satellite data service that allows customers to use Globalstar simplex modems and integrated solutions to track mobile assets - such as vehicles and marine vessels - using GPS or other location-based software.

The Globalstar simplex data service can also be used to monitor and send information from a wide array of industrial and security applications for fixed assets, such as environmental measurements, utility meter readings, or the state of various devices or instruments.

Using the Globalstar Satellite network and an approved integrated simplex modem solution, companies will be able to economically monitor their assets from virtually anywhere within the newly expanded coverage area.

Because the data is sent back to a customer's monitoring facility via Globalstar's constellation of low-earth-orbiting satellites, information can be received at any time from remote installations far beyond the reach of ground-based communications systems.

"Globalstar's investment in expanded coverage demonstrates our commitment to providing customers with a low-cost simplex data option that will now be available to areas in all of Europe, North Africa, and across the North Atlantic," said Tony Navarra, President, Globalstar.

"In addition to providing the highest quality satellite voice services available today, Globalstar continues to expand its ability to provide a low cost, satellite-based data acquisition tool for industries that demand the ability to remotely monitor assets such as tractor trailers, shipping containers or infrastructure."

Navarra also noted that the commercial launch of the newly expanded data service would take place immediately.

Over the past three months, Globalstar Europe has been conducting extensive trials through its gateway in Turkey to demonstrate the availability and reliability of the company's simplex data service.

The Turkey gateway, which primarily serves Europe and the Middle East, will provide redundancy to the new data service originating from Globalstar's gateway in France.

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