TerreStar Networks announced it expects to begin commercial roll out of the TerreStar GENUS(TM), the world’s first dual-mode satellite-cellular smartphone, in September 2010. The company has renewed the in-orbit insurance on its TerreStar-1 communications satellite for one additional year.
“TerreStar-1 continues to exceed performance expectations, and I am pleased with support we received from the insurance community,” stated Jeffrey W. Epstein, president and chief executive officer, TerreStar. “Further, while we have delayed the launch of our GENUS handset, this additional time ensures that when we launch service, the GENUS will truly revolutionize mobile communications for first responders, enterprise users, and those in areas where terrestrial networks are unavailable.”http://www.terrestar.com
- In February 2010, TerreStar Networks completed its initial on-orbit testing of Ground Based Beam Forming (GBBF), clearing another hurdle prior to the launch of its hybrid satellite+terrestrial smartphone service. The service is expected to launch in the second half of this year. The TerreStar GBBF system is the first two-way GBBF system to employ both ground based calibration and beam forming. The system provides the flexibility to deploy over 500 spot beams and manage power and capacity as customer demand dictates.