Category: Blog

LightSquared’s proposal outlined a three-part solution for resolving GPS interference issues involving GPS devices, detailed in recommendations filed at the FCC June 30. GPS device test results, which were also filed at the FCC, show unequivocally that the interference is caused by the GPS device manufacturer’s decision during the past eight years to design products that depend on using spectrum assigned to other FCC licensees, the report said.

“The GPS device manufacturers, unlike relevant government agencies, have been largely uninterested in finding a win-win solution,” said a LightSquared statement. “Rather, their only answer to a problem of their own making is to demand that the government simply block LightSquared from using the company’s own spectrum … This is a problem that the GPS industry could have avoided by equipping their devices over the last several years with filters that cost as little as 5 cents each.”

The testing results released show LightSquared’s proposed solution resolves interference for about 99.5 percent of all commercial GPS devices – including 100 percent of the 300 million GPS-enabled cell phones, the company said. LightSquared said issues remain with precision GPS devices, and it is committed to finding a solution.

“This issue will be resolved by good data, smart engineers and good-faith problem solving dialog,’ said Sanjiv Ahuja, LightSquared chairman and CEO. “The end-result will be continuity for the reliable and safe GPS system we have come to depend on, along with a new high-speed wireless network that will provide huge benefits to consumers.”

LightSquared officials said they need the cooperation of the GPS industry. “LightSquared believes cooperation is the least to expect from an industry that built a business by piggy-backing on the federal government’s GPS network without any investment in infrastructure or spectrum,” a statement said. A recent Brattle Group study, funded by LightSquared, showed that the commercial GPS industry’s ability to use the U.S. government’s GPS network amounts to an $18 billion federal subsidy.

This article originated here

LightSquared™, the nation’s first wholesale-only integrated 4G-LTE wireless broadband and satellite network, announced today a plan to ensure the nation’s public safety community continues to have satellite Push-to-Talk and other critical communications features that it has come to depend on as LightSquared moves to next generation satellite services.

LightSquared’s satellite network has played a critical role in federal, state and local public safety communications in emergencies dating back to 1996, including Hurricane Katrina and the recent series of devastating tornadoes that swept through Joplin, Missouri. LightSquared’s next generation satellite service will continue to ensure seamless communications among multiple law enforcement and public safety agencies at the federal, state and local levels. These agencies have come to depend on the reliable interoperable communications capabilities that LightSquared provides.

As part of this plan, LightSquared will:

• Replace the current LightSquared public safety devices at no cost and continue tosupport older devices through 2014.
• Work with the public safety community to design next generation LightSquared devices that meet the rugged standards demanded by public safety workers who work in a wide range of hostile conditions and environments.
• Continue to support the Satellite Mutual Aid Radio Talkgroup (SMART) program on which public safety agencies nationwide rely to communicate.

“For police, fire and rescue, satellite communications is a critical backstop when traditional networks go down or become overloaded by demand during natural disasters and other emergencies. Public safety depends on satellite communications when other networks fail, and LightSquared’s investment in Push-to-Talk will literally help save lives in coming years,’’ said
Bob Spieldenner, director of public affairs, Virginia Department of Emergency Management.

LightSquared’s next generation mobile satellite communications service will continue to have full interoperability with multiple public safety networks around the nation, a critical tool in national and local emergencies. Ubiquitous interoperable communications has been a goal of the public safety community for many years and was highlighted immediately after the 2001 terror attacks when first responders were hindered in their ability to coordinate with each other because they used incompatible communications systems.

“In an emergency, the last thing public safety workers should have to worry about is their ability to communicate with each other. That’s why LightSquared is committed to the SMART program, ensuring that the men and women on the front lines have communication devices that connect them to each other or to a federal agency thousands of miles away,’’ said Sanjiv Ahuja, chairman and chief executive officer of LightSquared. In addition, LightSquared has formed its own Emergency Rapid Response Team that is prepared to travel to troubled areas to assist first responders at the local, state and federal level with interoperable satellite communications.

Article original source here

Follow these steps when you receive your iSatPhone Pro

Once you receive the phone, to activate the sim, please call ISS @ 888-511-3403 or email support at support@issi-us.net. For security purposes, we don’t activate the sim card until it arrives safely to the customer. We take the liberty of installing your sim card for you so it’s already in the phone. ISS will send you your phone number the moment the sim card has been activated. We advise you to charge your phone’s battery prior to using. It is also a good idea to read the quick start guide that is included in the box with the phone.

To register with the Inmarsat network:

Turn the phone on and extend the antenna toward the position of the nearest satellite. Stand in an open area free from obstructions such as buildings, trees or mountains blocking the view between you and the satellite.

Searching satellite will appear on the screen. The top left of the screen will display Inmarsat when your phone is connected to the satellite along with two quick audible beeps indicating your phone is connected to the network. The signal bars reveal the signal strength. At least two signal bars are required to make and receive calls.

Before you can make a call, your phone requires a GPS fix so it can be located by the satellite. This should happen automatically, but if a new GPS fix is needed, the GPS icon will be displayed. Keep the phone in the open with a clear view of the sky until the icon disappears. Your phone is now ready to make and receive calls. Check out “Obtaining a GPS fix manually” on page 29 of the phones user guide for more information

The more open sky you can see the stronger the signal strength. If open sky makes up about 70% of your view when you look up, then the signal should be strong. At the perimeter of the coverage zone (close to the poles), it may be necessary to point the antenna more directly at the satellite for network registration.

To make a call:

Use the international dialing sequence of 00 or +, followed by the country code, area code (without the two zeros) and telephone number, then press the green key to connect the call.

Voicemail is enabled on your IsatPhone Pro by default. however you need to configure call forwarding ‘if not available’ in order for incoming calls to be forwarded to your voicemail while you are not available. You can find this setting in your IsatPhone Pro’s menu options. Your phone automatically checks for voicemails shortly after it has been turned on and is connected to the network. It will also send you voicemails that arrive while you are connected to the network. If you have a new voicemail, the voicemail icon will appear in the status bar at the top of the main screen and in Info. To listen to the message, hold down the #1 key on the keypad for a few seconds and your phone will automatically connect you to your voicemail. Alternatively, you can dial the short code of 570.

Watch this video Tutorial



Ask any 20 people on the street what they know about the mobile satellite communications business, 10 will say “you mean like Sprint or Verizon?” A few will ask “like Dish Network, you mean satellite TV?” A few more will just give you a blank stare. MAYBE you’ll find 1 person who has heard of Iridium…”oh yes, that handheld satellite phone gadget thing”? Hooray, thank you for not confusing it with the chemical element of atomic number 77.

The mobile satellite communications business really originated back in the late 1970’s when Inmarsat rolled out the first commercially available communications satellite. 20 years later, there were less than 1 million customers worldwide, today, still less than 2 million end users globally. Inmarsat, still the largest of all of the commercially available communications satellite constellations, did just over 250 million dollars in revenue last year…, not very much relative to other industries, especially when you consider the huge investment (billions of dollars) required to launch and maintain these very expensive and complex constellations (satellites)!

Mobile Satellite communications is the “definition” of a niche business. Almost without fail, if there is ANY other alternative available, cell phones, land lines, 2 juice cans and a string, smoke signals, you name it, it will be less expensive than satellite. Combine the “sticker shock” that generally applies to one’s first exposure to satellite communications with the “perceived” complexity of the product and you’ve gone a long way towards explaining the reason for the limited market. We haven’t even mentioned the fact that most people seldom if ever even venture into the realm where there are no landlines or cell phones available and therefore have no reason to ever be exposed to satellite communications.

So why is there even a satellite communications industry, if there aren’t very many customers and they don’t generate that much revenue? Because the people that need it REALLY need it, and they’re willing to pay for it because other options don’t exist. Mobile Satellite communications is always the choice of last resort for anyone who requires communicating in remote parts of the world, but nevertheless, it is a choice. It is the lifeblood of the shipping industry, oil and gas exploration and recovery, emergency and disaster relief operations, aircraft communications and navigation. It plays an absolutely vital role in military operations throughout the world. It isn’t too much of a stretch to say that life as we know it today would be very different if it were not for satellite communications. It touches EVERYONE, whether they realize it or not.

Inmarsat, the world’s premier provider or mobile satellite communications, is proud to announce the signing of a contract with International Launch Services (ILS) to launch the new Inmarsat-5 satellite on board ILS’ Proton launch vehicle. The three state-of-the-art 702HP Ka-band spacecraft, currently being built by Boeing, are scheduled to launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrone in Kazakhstan in 2013-2014. The I-5’s will support Inmarsats forthcoming Global Xpress™ network.

Including launch costs, Inmarsat will invest an estimated US$1.2 billion in the Global Xpress program. Global Xpress will offer seamless global coverage and deliver unprecedented mobile broadband speeds of up to 50Mbps, providing Global access to all sectors of the market, including government, maritime, enterprise, energy and aeronautical.

Inmarsats most recent launch, the Inmarsat-4, was successfully carried out by ILS from Baikonur in August 2008. The Proton vehicle is Russia’s premier heavy-lift launcher and is built by Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center, the majority owner of ILS. The Proton has successfully launched 31 consecutive missions since July 2008, 365 missions since its maiden flight in 1965.

“Selecting a launch services provider is a critical part of realizing our Global Xpress vision,” said Andrew Sukawaty, chairman and CEO of Inmarsat. “Our agreement with ILS shows that we are well on track with our aggressive program for Global Xpress, with service planned to start in 2013. We have partnered with ILS and Khrunichev for previous launches, and look forward to a successful campaign for Inmarsat-5.”

Mobile Satellite communications is considered the most effective and reliable platform for communications during emergencies. With Hurricane Irene creating havoc in the east coast of U.S., LightSquared and Inmarsat have joined hands to support the hurricane Irene’s emergency responders.

Wireless communications are the best sought-after communication option during emergency response, rescue, or relief situation. However, terrestrial wireless hardware such as cell phones or land mobile radios are useful and operative only when communications towers and other fixed equipment are in place, which is unlikely during natural calamities.

Satellite communications is the best solution during chaotic situations, because satellites are the only wireless communications infrastructure that are not susceptible to damage from disasters, for the reason that the main repeaters sending and receiving signals (the satellite spacecraft) are located outside the Earth’s atmosphere.

According to a press release, LightSquared and Inmarsat have joined forces to ensure that their respective emergency services customers have reliable access to indispensable satellite communications to support their Hurricane Irene relief efforts.

“Given the tremendous impact Hurricane Irene has had on the east coast of the United States, it is vital that first responders have unfettered access to reliable communications,” said Sanjiv Ahuja, chairman and chief executive officer of LightSquared, in a statement. “LightSquared, working with Inmarsat (News – Alert), is committed to ensuring that those on the front lines of this national emergency have seamless connectivity with one another.”

“During emergencies such as Hurricane Irene, reliable satellite communications is essential for emergency responders and government agencies,” said Andrew Sukawaty, chairman and chief executive officer of Inmarsat, in a press release. “Together with LightSquared we have moved rapidly to ensure that we have sufficient capacity to support emergency management agencies and first responders.”

As the nation’s first integrated 4G-LTE wireless broadband and satellite network, LightSquared has an aim to advance the U.S. wireless industry. Lightsquared deploys an open 4G wireless broadband network to be used by existing as well as new service providers to sell their own devices, applications and services – at a competitive cost.

Inmarsat is a provider of worldwide mobile satellite communications services. They have been offering reliable voice and high-speed data communications to government and it’s agencies, enterprises and other organizations, with a range of services that can be used on land, at sea or in the air, since 1979.

Currently, two kinds of satellite communications networks exist to support emergency response activities: geostationary satellite systems (GEO); and low Earth orbit satellites (LEO). The GEO satellites are located 23,269 miles above the Earth in a fixed position. This coverage provided by both Inmarsat and Lightsquared satellites, cover up to one third of the globe. They are capable of providing a full range of communications services, such as voice, video and high speed broadband data.