What happens to satellite phones when Verizon Wireless, for instance, flips on its new network?
We will still have a market. What you will see is consolidation in the wireless industry. Many companies preceded Iridium and never made it into orbit, and we’ve seen some recent companies folding. The key is for Iridium to re-program itself to work with 2.5G and 3G networks–to cooperate with them. Then it becomes a service many will utilize. Aren’t you doing the same stuff that third-generation networks will offer? But (third-generation networks are) all going to be essentially still tied to a post somewhere. We’re everywhere. Go 20 miles outside of Denver, and you can’t do anything. Look at OnStar: This is on a cellular-based service, so if your truck breaks down in an area without service, you can’t reach OnStar. If you’re able to couple that with Iridium, you have ubiquitous service. What will it take for satellite phones to survive? We need longer-term contracts with large carriers. That’s where we’re putting our focus: carriers who can offer us as a ubiquity. (We’re also looking
