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By providing wireless communications services across the globe, we meet our customers' increasing desire for connectivity.
+Added: Recent Developments:
+Added: In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared the outbreak of a novel coronavirus (“COVID-19”) a global pandemic.
+Added: Various levels of governmental agencies and authorities have taken measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19, including “stay at home” orders, social distancing and closures of non-essential businesses.
+Added: The success of our business depends on our global operations, including the performance of our satellites and ground stations as well as our supply chain and consumer demand, among other things.
+Added: As a result of COVID-19, we have experienced a reduction in the volume of sales of our subscriber equipment, particularly from our customers that operate in the oil and gas industry, have received requests for service pricing concessions from certain customers, and expect an impact on the ability of certain of our customers to pay outstanding balances.
+Added: Our results of operations for the year ended December 31, 2020 partially reflect this impact;
+Added: however, we expect that this trend may continue and the full extent of the impact is unknown.
+Added: In recent months, some governmental agencies have lifted certain restrictions.
+Added: However, if customer demand continues to be low, our future equipment sales, subscriber activations and sales margin will be impacted.
+Added: We have implemented several measures to minimize the impact on our operations and sustain our liquidity position, including:
+Added: • Receiving economic relief and support under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act, including a $5.0 million forgivable payroll protection program loan (the "PPP Loan") and the deferral of certain payroll taxes,
+Added: • Refocusing internal resources on high-value opportunities, such as working with federal agencies that may require our equipment and services in times of crisis,
+Added: • Working with our product manufacturers to ensure we will continue to have sufficient inventory levels on hand to meet consumer demand, and
+Added: • Supporting both consumer and commercial customers, particularly those that operate in the retail and oil and gas industries, to adjust pricing where necessary, whether under e-commerce promotions or temporary service pricing concessions.
Satellite Network
−Removed: Our constellation of Low Earth Orbit ("LEO") satellites includes second-generation satellites, which were launched and placed into service during the years 2010 through 2013 after a $1.1 billion investment, and certain first-generation satellites, which are currently being used as in-orbit spares.
+Added: Our constellation of Low Earth Orbit ("LEO") satellites includes second-generation satellites and certain first-generation satellites, which are currently being used as in-orbit spares.
+Added: We also have one on-ground spare second-generation satellite that we may include in a future launch.
+Added: We designed our satellite network to maximize the probability that at least one satellite is visible from any point on the Earth's surface between the latitudes 70° north and 70° south.
We designed our second-generation satellites to last twice as long in space, have 40% greater capacity and be built at a significantly lower cost compared to our first-generation satellites.
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Each satellite has a high degree of on-board subsystem redundancy, an on-board fault detection system and isolation and recovery for safe and quick risk mitigation.
−Removed: We believe that we provide the best voice quality amount our peer group (which is backed by customer input) due to the specific design of the Globalstar System.
−Removed: We define a successful level of service for our customers by their ability to make uninterrupted calls of average duration for a system-wide average number of minutes per month.
Our goal is to provide service levels and call or message success rates equal to or better than our MSS competitors, so our products and services are attractive to potential customers.
−Removed: We define voice quality as the ability to easily hear, recognize and understand callers with imperceptible delay in the transmission.
−Removed: By this measure, we believe that our system outperforms geostationary (“GEO”) satellites used by some of our competitors.
+Added: We believe that our system outperforms geostationary (“GEO”) satellites used by some of our competitors.
GEO satellite signals must travel approximately 42,000 additional miles on average, which introduces considerable delay and signal degradation to GEO calls.
−Removed: For our competitors using cross-linked satellite architectures, which require multiple inter-satellite connections to complete a call, signal degradation and delay can result in lower call quality as compared to that experienced over the Globalstar System.
−Removed: We designed our second-generation ground network to provide our customers with enhanced services featuring speeds up to 72 kbps as well as increased capacity, when combined with our next-generation products.
−Removed: The second-generation ground network is an Internet protocol multimedia subsystem ("IMS") based solution providing such industry standard services as voice, internet, email and short message services ("SMS").
Ground Network
Our satellites communicate with a network of gateways, each of which serves an area of approximately 700,000 to 1,000,000 square miles.
−Removed: We have designed the planes in which our satellites orbit so that usually at least one satellite is visible from any point on the Earth's surface between the latitudes 70° north and 70° south.
A gateway must be within line-of-sight of a satellite and the satellite must be within line-of-sight of the subscriber to provide services.
−Removed: We have positioned our gateways to provide coverage for most of the Earth's land and human population.
−Removed: We own 14 of these gateways and the rest are owned by independent gateway operators ("IGOs").
−Removed: We own and operate gateways in the United States, Canada, Venezuela, Argentina, Puerto Rico, France, Brazil, Singapore and Botswana.
−Removed: Each of our gateways has multiple antennas that communicate with our satellites and pass calls seamlessly between antenna beams and satellites as the satellites traverse the gateways, thereby reflecting the signals from our users' terminals to our gateways.
−Removed: Once a satellite acquires a signal from an end-user, the Globalstar System authenticates the user and establishes the voice or data channel to complete the call to the public switched telephone network (“PSTN”), a cellular or another wireless network or the internet (for a data call including Commercial IoT).
+Added: We have positioned our gateways to provide coverage over most of the Earth's land and human population and continue to evaluate and expand our gateway footprint to optimize coverage.
+Added: We own and operate the majority of these gateways and the rest are owned by independent gateway operators ("IGOs").
+Added: Each of our gateways has multiple antennas that communicate with our satellites and pass communications seamlessly between antenna beams and satellites as the satellites traverse the gateways, thereby reflecting the signals from our users' terminals to our gateways.
+Added: Once a satellite acquires a signal from an end-user, the Globalstar System authenticates the user and establishes the voice or data channel to complete the call to the public switched telephone network (“PSTN”), a cellular or another wireless network or the internet for data communications including Commercial IoT.
+Added: In 2019, we signed a contract with MIL-SAT LLC for the procurement and production of new antennas for certain of our gateways around the world, and all antennas have been delivered under the terms of that contract.
+Added: Although we currently do not have any remaining contractual obligations with MIL-SAT, we expect to purchase additional antennas in the future directly from the manufacturer.
We believe that our terrestrial gateways provide a number of advantages over the in-orbit switching used by our main competitor, including better call quality, reduced call latency and convenient, localized phone numbers for inbound and outbound calling.
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Our multiple gateways allow us to reconfigure our system quickly to extend another gateway's coverage to make up for lost coverage from a disabled gateway or to handle increased call capacity resulting from surges in demand.
−Removed: Our ground network includes both our first-generation and second-generation ground equipment.
−Removed: Both our first-generation and second-generation ground network use Qualcomm's patented CDMA technology to permit communication to multiple satellites.
+Added: Our ground network includes our ground equipment, which uses patented CDMA technology to permit communication to multiple satellites.
Patented receivers in our handsets track the pilot channel and signaling channel as well as three additional communications channels simultaneously.
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This maximizes satellite diversity (which maximizes quality) and network capacity as we can reuse the assigned spectrum in every satellite beam in every satellite.
−Removed: In addition, we have developed a non-Qualcomm proprietary technology for our SPOT and Commercial IoT services.
−Removed: Our second-generation ground network was developed in partnership with Hughes Network Systems, LLC ("Hughes") and Ericsson, Inc.
−Removed: ("Ericsson").
−Removed: Hughes designed, supplied and implemented the Radio Access Network ("RAN") network equipment and software upgrades for installation at a number of our gateways.
−Removed: Hughes also provided the satellite interface chips to be used in our various second-generation devices.
−Removed: Ericsson developed, implemented, and installed our ground interface, or core network, system at our gateways.
−Removed: The second-generation Ericsson core links our Hughes RANs to the PSTN, cellular networks and Internet.
−Removed: We have additional second-generation RANs that are not yet deployed.
−Removed: We will select locations for further deployment based on coverage optimization, which may include additional gateway acquisitions.
+Added: In addition, we have developed a proprietary technology for our SPOT and Commercial IoT services.
+Added: We designed our second-generation ground network to provide our customers with enhanced services featuring speeds up to 72 kbps as well as increased capacity, when combined with our next-generation products.
+Added: The second-generation ground network is an Internet
+Added: protocol multimedia subsystem ("IMS") based solution providing such industry standard services as voice, internet, email and short message services ("SMS").
Communications Products and Services
−Removed: We currently provide the following communications services, which are available only with equipment designed to work on our network:
−Removed: two-way voice communication and data transmissions using mobile or fixed devices, including our GSP-1700 phone, two generations of our Sat-Fi ® , the Sat-Fi ® Remote Antenna Station, and other fixed and data-only devices ("Duplex");
−Removed: one-way or two-way communication and data transmissions using mobile devices, including our SPOT family of products, such as SPOT X ® , SPOT Gen3 ® and SPOT Trace ® , that transmit messages and the location of the device ("SPOT");
−Removed: one-way data transmissions using a mobile or fixed device that transmits its location and other information to a central monitoring station, including our commercial IoT products, such as our battery- and solar-powered SmartOne, STX-3 and STINGR ("Commercial IoT").
+Added: We currently provide the following communications services:
+Added: • two-way voice communication and data transmissions using mobile or fixed devices, including our GSP-1700 phone, two generations of our Sat-Fi ® and other fixed and data-only devices ("Duplex");
+Added: • one-way or two-way communication and data transmissions using mobile devices, including our SPOT family of products, such as SPOT X ® , SPOT Gen4 TM and SPOT Trace ® , that transmit messages and the location of the device ("SPOT");
+Added: • one-way data transmissions using a mobile or fixed device that transmits its location and other information to a central monitoring station, including our commercial IoT products, such as our battery- and solar-powered SmartOne, STX-3 and ST100 ("Commercial IoT");
+Added: • engineering services to assist certain customers in developing new applications to operate on our network, enhancements to our ground network and other communication services using our MSS and terrestrial spectrum licenses ("Engineering and Other").
We compete aggressively on price.
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We are currently pursuing initiatives that we expect to expand our satellite communications business by effectively leveraging our network capabilities and distribution relationships.
−Removed: Among our current initiatives are the following:
−Removed: the development of a two-way reference design and board to expand our Commercial IoT offerings;
−Removed: various connectivity solutions for the automotive market;
−Removed: derivatives of our Sat-Fi2 ® device, one specifically designed for the maritime industry and another for fixed installation outside of cellular range;
−Removed: and a miniaturized satellite-based animal tracking device.
+Added: Among our current initiatives is the development of a two-way reference design module to expand our Commercial IoT offerings.
The specialized needs of our global customers span many industries.
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Our top revenue-generating markets in the United States and Canada are government (including federal, state and local agencies), public safety and disaster relief, oil and gas, recreation and personal telecommunications.
−Removed: Over the past several years, the portion of our customers using Commercial IoT devices has increased significantly, and we expect this trend to continue.
+Added: In recent years, the portion of our customers using Commercial IoT devices has increased significantly.
No one customer was responsible for more than 10% of our revenue in 2020, 2019 or 2018.
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We regularly monitor our service offerings in accordance with customer demands and market changes and offer pricing plans such as bundled minutes, annual plans and unlimited plans.
−Removed: In February 2020, we entered into an agreement (i) providing for a potential customer to pay us for non-recurring engineering (NRE) services in connection with the assessment of a potential service utilizing certain of our assets and capacity, and (ii) setting forth the primary terms for the potential development and operation of the service (the “Terms Agreement”).
−Removed: The Terms Agreement does not provide for material payments to us or impose material obligations on us unless, among other things, we and the potential customer have achieved certain technical milestones.
−Removed: The Terms Agreement includes certain binding protective provisions, including an exclusivity provision not affecting current services, access rights related to the affected assets, certain information rights and certain provisions for future financings.
−Removed: The Terms Agreement may be terminated by the customer at any time in its sole discretion.
We offer the GSP-1700 phone, which includes a user-friendly color LCD screen and a variety of accessories.
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We no longer manufacture the GSP-1700 phone.
−Removed: Instead, we sell refurbished GSP-1700 phones to new subscribers through our existing distribution channels.
+Added: Instead, we sell refurbished GSP-1700
+Added: phones to new subscribers through our existing distribution channels.
These phones are generally obtained through a buyback program that we have in place to purchase devices from deactivated subscribers, or subscribers that have upgraded to our Sat-Fi ® device, in order to address demand for handsets.
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Sat-Fi2 ® is the first product to operate using our second-generation ground infrastructure, resulting in higher data speeds, enhanced applications and improved performance.
−Removed: With Sat-Fi2 ® , our customers can use their Wi-Fi-enabled smartphones and tablets to send and receive communications via the Globalstar System when traveling beyond cellular coverage, achieving a level of seamless connectivity not offered before.
−Removed: We believe Sat-Fi2 ® is superior to other competitors' products released to date, providing the fastest, most affordable mobile satellite data speeds and the clearest voice communications in the MSS industry.
+Added: With Sat-Fi2 ® , our customers can use their Wi-Fi-enabled smartphones and tablets to send and receive communications via the Globalstar System when traveling beyond cellular coverage.
+Added: We believe Sat-Fi2 ® provides fast and affordable mobile satellite data speeds.
Through a convenient smartphone app that enables connectivity between Wi-Fi-enabled devices and Sat-Fi ® satellite hot spots, subscribers in range of a Sat-Fi2 ® device can easily send and receive email and SMS messages and make voice calls from their own device at any time.
−Removed: We believe Sat-Fi2 ® represents a major step forward towards seamlessly integrating our mobile satellite capabilities into the communications services that people use on a daily basis.
−Removed: Fixed Voice and Data Satellite Communications Services and Equipment
+Added: Fixed Voice and Data Satellite Communications Services and Equipment and Data Modem Services and Equipment
Among other places, we provide fixed voice and data services in rural villages, at remote industrial, commercial and residential sites and on ships at sea.
−Removed: In 2019, we introduced the Sat-Fi2 ® Remote Antenna Station ("RAS"), which expands the capabilities of our Sat-Fi2® satellite hotspot by incorporating a highly efficient remote antenna.
−Removed: The RAS enables hotspot use in any vehicle, vessel or distant building and is easily connected to a fixed power source for seamless connectivity via the Globalstar System.
Fixed voice and data satellite communications services are an attractive alternative to mobile satellite communications services in environments where multiple users will access the services within a defined geographic area and cellular or ground phone service is not available.
−Removed: Our fixed units also may be mounted on vehicles, barges and construction equipment and benefit from the ability to have higher gain antennas.
Our fixed voice and data service plans are similar to our mobile voice and data plans and offer similar flexibility.
−Removed: Satellite Data Modem Services and Equipment
In addition to data utilization through fixed and mobile services described above, we offer data-only services through Duplex devices with two-way transmission capabilities.
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Our satellite data modems can be activated under any of our current pricing plans.
−Removed: Customers can access satellite data modems in every Duplex region we serve.
−Removed: We provide store-and-forward capabilities to customers who do not require real-time transmission and reception of data.
−Removed: Additionally, we offer a data acceleration and compression service to the satellite data modem market.
−Removed: This service increases web-browsing, email and other data transmission speeds without any special equipment or hardware.
Product Distribution
−Removed: Our sales group is responsible for conducting direct sales with key accounts and for managing indirect agent, dealer and reseller relationships in assigned territories in the countries in which we operate.
+Added: Our sales group is responsible for conducting direct sales with key accounts and for managing indirect agent, dealer and reseller relationships.
Our typical dealer is a communications services business-to-business equipment retailer.
−Removed: We offer competitive service and equipment commissions to our network of dealers to encourage sales.
−Removed: The reseller channel for Duplex equipment and service is comprised primarily of communications equipment retailers and commercial communications equipment rental companies that retain and bill clients directly, outside of our billing system.
−Removed: Many of our resellers specialize in niche vertical markets where high-use customers are concentrated.
−Removed: We have sales arrangements with major resellers to market our services, including some value-added resellers that integrate our products into their proprietary end products or applications.
−Removed: In addition to buying through our distribution managers, agents, dealers and resellers, customers can place orders through our existing sales force and through our direct e-commerce website.
+Added: In addition to buying through our distribution managers, agents, dealers and resellers, customers also place orders through our existing sales force and through our direct e-commerce website.
SPOT Consumer Retail Products
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We began commercial sales of the first SPOT products and services when we introduced the SPOT Personal Tracker in 2007.
−Removed: We continue to innovate this product and have released another three generations of our SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger to the market.
−Removed: The most recent generations of SPOT devices which we currently sell include SPOT Gen3 ® and SPOT X ® .
−Removed: Compared to earlier generations of our SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger, SPOT Gen3 ® offers enhanced functionality with more tracking features, improved battery performance and more power options, including rechargeable and USB direct-line power.
−Removed: The product also enables users to transmit messages to a specific preprogrammed email address, phone or data device, including requests for assistance and “SOS” messages in the event of an emergency.
+Added: We continue to innovate this product and have released multiple generations of our SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger to the market.
+Added: The most recent generations of SPOT devices which we currently sell include SPOT Gen4 TM and SPOT X ® .
+Added: Compared to earlier generations of our SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger, SPOT Gen4 TM offers enhanced functionality with more tracking features in a new mapping interface and improved product specifications for water resistance.
+Added: The product also enables users to transmit predefined messages to a specific preprogrammed email address, phone or data device, including requests for assistance and “SOS” messages in the event of an emergency.
SPOT X ® , which was launched in May 2018, is our first two-way SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger with keyboard functionality allowing subscribers to send and receive SMS messages and improved tracking and SOS functions.
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We distribute and sell our SPOT products through a variety of distribution channels.
−Removed: We have distribution relationships with a number of "Big Box" retailers and other similar distribution channels, including Amazon, Bass Pro Shops, Cabela's, Fry's Electronics, REI, Sportsman's Warehouse, Academy, and West Marine.
+Added: We have distribution relationships with a number of "Big Box" retailers and other similar distribution channels, including Amazon, Bass Pro Shops, Cabela's, Camping World, Gander Outdoors, REI, Sportsman's Warehouse, Academy, and West Marine.
We also sell SPOT products and services directly using our existing sales force and through our direct e-commerce website, www.findmespot.com, as well as through certain of our IGOs.
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Customers realize an efficiency advantage from tracking assets on a single global system as compared to several regional systems.
−Removed: Satellite Transmitter Chipsets
−Removed: We offer small satellite transmitter chipsets, such as the STX-3 and STINGR, which enable an integrator’s products to access our Commercial IoT network.
−Removed: We have sales arrangements with major resellers to market our IoT services, including some value-added resellers that integrate our STX-3 and STINGR into their proprietary solutions designed to meet certain specialized niche market applications.
+Added: Satellite Transmitter Modules and Chips
+Added: We offer small satellite transmitter modules, such as the STX-3 and ST100, and chips, such as the ASIC, which enable an integrator’s products to access our Commercial IoT network.
+Added: We have sales arrangements with major resellers to market our IoT services, including some value-added resellers that integrate our modules into their proprietary solutions designed to meet certain specialized niche market applications.
The STX3 provides additional opportunities to integrate satellite connectivity into products used for vehicle and asset tracking, remote data reporting and data logger reporting that have limited size requirements.
Affordable pricing, low power consumption and its small size make the STX3 a highly efficient device ready for integration in a wide variety of applications.
−Removed: The STINGR, or Satellite Transmitter Integrated GPS Receiver, significantly reduces the design effort required to help customers build compact and efficient satellite communications devices.
−Removed: The module includes a high-performance GPS receiver as well as an on-board dual band antenna which greatly simplifies the effort of integrating satellite communications into a tracking or monitoring device.
+Added: The ST100, or ST100 Satellite Transmitter, is a small, lightweight and low power IoT board with embedded antennas.
+Added: The ST100 offers a customizable approach to new commercial IoT product innovations and can be used by simply adding power, a mechanical enclosure and configuring the settings within the device firmware.
+Added: For more advanced technical requirements, third parties can write their own firmware on the ST100 and utilize Globalstar APIs, Bluetooth® wireless technology and the serial connector to expand the use of the board and integrate it with other devices or hardware.
+Added: The ASIC provides a single chip one-way solution that can be embedded in a customer's owns solution.
SmartOne Asset Managers
−Removed: We also offer complete products that utilize the STX-3 and STINGR transmitter chipsets.
+Added: We also offer complete products that utilize the STX-3 and ST100 transmitter modules.
Our Commercial IoT units, including the enterprise-grade SmartOne family of asset-ready tracking units, are used worldwide by industrial, commercial and government customers.
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We expect that demand for our Commercial IoT products and services will increase as more applications are developed and deployed that utilize our technology.
−Removed: We are also developing Commercial IoT products that support two-way communications allowing for both tracking and control of assets in our coverage footprint.
+Added: We are also developing Commercial IoT products that support two-way communications allowing for both tracking and control of assets.
+Added: Engineering and Other
+Added: We provide engineering services to assist certain customers in developing new applications to operate on our network and to enhance our ground network.
+Added: These services include hardware and software designs to develop specific applications operating over our network, as well as the installation of gateways and antennas.
+Added: In February 2020, we entered into an agreement (i) providing for a potential customer to pay us for non-recurring engineering (NRE) services in connection with the assessment of a potential service utilizing certain of our assets and capacity, and (ii) setting forth the primary terms for the potential development and operation of the service (the “Terms Agreement”).
+Added: The Terms Agreement does not provide for material payments to us or impose material obligations on us unless, among other things, we and the potential customer have achieved certain technical milestones.
+Added: The Terms Agreement includes certain binding protective provisions, including an exclusivity provision not affecting current services, access rights related to the affected assets, certain information rights and certain provisions for future financings.
+Added: The Terms Agreement may be terminated by the customer at any time in its sole discretion.
Independent Gateway Operators
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The IGO system allows us to expand in regions that hold significant growth potential but are harder to serve without sufficient operational scale or where local regulatory requirements do not permit us to operate directly.
−Removed: Currently, 8 of the 22 gateways in our network are owned and operated by unaffiliated companies, some of whom operate more than one gateway.
+Added: As of December 31, 2020, we had four IGOs that own gateways in Australia, South Korea, Russia and Turkey.
Except for Globalstar Asia Pacific, our joint venture in South Korea in which we hold a 49% equity interest, we have no financial interest in these IGOs and conduct business with them through arms’ length contracts for wholesale minutes of service.
−Removed: Set forth below is a list of IGOs as of December 31, 2019 :
−Removed: Independent Gateway Operators
−Removed: Pivotel Group PTY Limited
−Removed: Pivotel Group PTY Limited
−Removed: Pivotel Group PTY Limited
−Removed: Globalstar Asia Pacific
−Removed: Globalstar Avrasya
−Removed: During 2019, we purchased certain assets and related government authorizations from the owner of our IGO in Argentina.
−Removed: We are now currently in the process of upgrading this Globalstar-owned gateway to second-generation technology.
−Removed: In 2019, jointly with our IGO in Mexico, we decided to shut down the gateway and agreed that Globalstar would operate a new gateway at a more optimal location.
−Removed: Coverage continues through other Globalstar-owed gateway locations.
−Removed: Accordingly, both of these previously IGO-owned gateways were removed from the table above as of December 31, 2019.
−Removed: Other Services
−Removed: We also provide engineering services to assist our commercial and government customers in developing new applications related to our system and to engineer and install new gateways that use our system.
−Removed: These services include hardware and software designs to develop specific applications operating over our network, as well as the installation of gateways and antennas.
+Added: During 2020, we entered into an agreement to acquire the outstanding 51% equity interest in our joint venture in South Korea and expect the acquisition to close in 2021.
Spectrum and Regulatory Structure
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In addition, this broad spectrum assignment enhances our ability to capitalize on existing and emerging wireless and broadband applications.
−Removed: First-Generation Constellation
−Removed: In the United States, the Federal Communications Commission ("FCC") has authorized us to operate our first-generation satellites in 25.225 MHz of radio spectrum comprising two blocks of non-contiguous radio frequencies in the 1.6/2.4 GHz band commonly referred to as the "Big LEO" Spectrum Band.
−Removed: Specifically, the FCC has authorized us to operate between 1610-1618.725 MHz for “Uplink” communications from mobile earth terminals to our satellites and between 2483.5-2500 MHz for “Downlink” communications from our satellites to our mobile earth terminals.
−Removed: The FCC has also authorized us to operate our four domestic gateways with our first-generation satellites in the 5091-5250 and 6875-7055 MHz bands.
+Added: Satellite Network
+Added: In the United States, the Federal Communications Commission ("FCC") has authorized us to operate between 1610-1618.725 MHz for “Uplink” communications from mobile earth terminals to our satellites and between 2483.5-2500 MHz for “Downlink” communications from our satellites to our mobile earth terminals.
+Added: The FCC has also authorized us to operate our domestic gateways with our first-generation satellites in the 5091-5250 and 6875-7055 MHz bands.
Three of our subsidiaries hold our FCC licenses.
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This license applies only to our continued use of our first-generation satellites.
−Removed: Second-Generation Constellation
We licensed and registered our second-generation satellites in France.
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This recording of the Globalstar frequency assignments in the MIFR provides international recognition of these assignments and facilitates the use of these assignments while the frequency coordination process with the two remaining systems is completed.
+Added: During 2020, our French authorizations to provide MSS and operate the gateway in Aussaguel, France were renewed for an additional 10-year term.
Terrestrial Authority for Globalstar's Licensed 2.4 GHz Spectrum
In December 2016, the FCC unanimously adopted a Report and Order permitting us to seek modification of our existing MSS licenses to provide terrestrial broadband services over 11.5 MHz of our licensed Mobile Satellite Services spectrum at 2483.5 to 2495 MHz throughout the United States of America and its Territories.
−Removed: In August 2017, the FCC modified Globalstar's MSS licenses, granting us authority to provide terrestrial broadband services over a portion of our satellite spectrum.
−Removed: Specifically, the FCC modified Globalstar's space station authorization and our blanket mobile earth station license to permit a network using 11.5 MHz of our authorized Big LEO mobile-satellite service spectrum.
−Removed: We will need to comply with certain conditions in order to provide terrestrial broadband service, including obtaining FCC certifications for our equipment that will utilize this spectrum authority.
−Removed: We believe our MSS spectrum position provides potential for harmonized terrestrial authority across many international regulatory domains and have been seeking approvals in various international jurisdictions.
−Removed: To date, we have received terrestrial authorizations in certain countries.
+Added: In August 2017, the FCC modified Globalstar's MSS licenses, granting us authority to provide terrestrial broadband services over that 11.5 MHz portion of our satellite spectrum.
+Added: Specifically, the FCC modified our space station authorization and our blanket mobile earth station license to permit a terrestrial network using 11.5 MHz of our licensed mobile-satellite service spectrum.
+Added: We will need to comply with certain conditions in order to provide terrestrial broadband service over this spectrum.
+Added: In December 2018, we successfully completed the Third Generation Partnership Project (“3GPP”) standardization process for the 11.5 MHz of spectrum terrestrially authorized by the FCC.
+Added: The 3GPP designated the band as Band 53.
+Added: Additionally, in March 2020, we announced that the 3GPP approved the 5G variant of our Band 53, which is known as n53.
+Added: This new band class provides a pathway for our terrestrial spectrum to be integrated into handset and infrastructure ecosystems.
+Added: Additional follow-on 3GPP specifications and approvals are expected in the future.
+Added: In February 2021, Qualcomm Technologies announced its new Snapdragon X65 modem-RF System, which includes support for Band n53.
+Added: By having global 5G band support for n53 in Qualcomm Technologies’ 5G solutions, our potential device ecosystem expands significantly to include the most popular smartphones, laptops, tablets, automated equipment and other IoT modules.
+Added: During 2019, we executed a spectrum managers lease with Nokia in order to permit Nokia to utilize Band 53 within its equipment domestically and have such equipment type-certified for sale and deployment.
+Added: We believe our MSS spectrum position provides potential for harmonized terrestrial authority across many international
+Added: regulatory domains and have been seeking approvals in various international jurisdictions.
+Added: To date, we have received terrestrial authorizations in various countries.
+Added: including Brazil, Canada and South Africa, among others.
We expect this global effort to continue for the foreseeable future while we seek additional terrestrial approvals to internationally harmonize our S-band spectrum across the entire 16.5 MHz authority for terrestrial mobile broadband services.
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We believe that our licensed 2.4 GHz band holds physical, regulatory and ecosystem qualities that distinguishes it from other current and anticipated allocations, and that it is well positioned to balance favorable range, capacity and attenuation characteristics.
−Removed: In December 2018, we were successful in obtaining approval to create a new defined band class, Band 53, from the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) for our 2.4 GHz terrestrial spectrum.
−Removed: This new band class provides a pathway for our terrestrial spectrum to be integrated into handset and infrastructure ecosystems.
−Removed: Additional follow-on 3GPP specifications and approvals are expected in the future.
National Regulation of Service Providers
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Increasingly, better-tailored, improved technology products and services are creating new channels of demand for mobile satellite services.
−Removed: Growth in demand for mobile satellite voice services is driven by the declining cost of these services, the diminishing size and lower cost of the handsets, as well as heightened demand by governments, businesses and individuals for ubiquitous global voice and data coverage.
+Added: Growth in demand for mobile satellite services is driven by the declining cost of these services, the diminishing size and lower cost of the devices, as well as heightened demand by governments, businesses and individuals for ubiquitous global voice and data coverage.
Growth in mobile satellite data services is driven by the rollout of new applications requiring higher bandwidth, as well as low-cost data collection and asset-tracking devices and technological improvements permitting integration of mobile satellite services over smartphones and other Wi-Fi enabled devices.
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Within the major satellite sectors, fixed and MSS operators differ significantly from each other.
−Removed: Fixed satellite services providers, such as Intelsat Ltd., Eutelsat Communications and SES S.A., and aperture terminal companies, such as Hughes and Gilat Satellite Networks, are characterized by large, often stationary or "fixed," ground terminals that send and receive high-bandwidth signals to and from the satellite network for video and high speed data customers and international telephone markets.
−Removed: On the other hand, MSS providers, such as Globalstar, Inmarsat PLC (“Inmarsat”) and Iridium Communications Inc.
−Removed: (“Iridium”), focus more on voice and data services (including data services which track the location of remote assets such as shipping containers), where mobility or small-sized terminals are essential.
+Added: Fixed satellite services providers, such as Intelsat Ltd., Eutelsat Communications and SES S.A., and aperture terminal companies, such as Hughes and Gilat Satellite Networks, are characterized by large, often stationary or "fixed," ground terminals that send and receive high-
+Added: bandwidth signals to and from the satellite network for video and high speed data customers and international telephone markets.
+Added: On the other hand, MSS providers, such as Globalstar, ORBCOMM, Inmarsat PLC (“Inmarsat”) and Iridium Communications Inc.
+Added: (“Iridium”), focus more on voice and/or data services (including data services which track the location of remote assets such as shipping containers), where mobility or small-sized terminals are essential.
As mobile satellite terminals begin to offer higher bandwidth to support a wider range of applications, we expect MSS operators will increasingly compete with fixed satellite services operators.
4 unchanged sentences
Our most direct competition comes from other global MSS providers.
−Removed: Our two largest global competitors are Inmarsat and Iridium.
+Added: Our largest global competitors are ORBCOMM, Inmarsat and Iridium.
We compete primarily on the basis of coverage, quality, portability and pricing of services and products.
−Removed: In recent years, advancements in technology have also encouraged non-traditional companies to enter the market and request consideration from the FCC and international regulators for authority to provide satellite communication services through a variety of constellations.
+Added: In recent years, advancements in technology have also encouraged non-traditional companies to enter the market.
Inmarsat owns and operates a fleet of geostationary satellites.
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Inmarsat markets mobile handsets designed to compete with both Iridium’s mobile handset service and our GSP-1700 handset service.
−Removed: Iridium owns and operates a fleet of low earth orbit satellites that provide global coverage.
+Added: Iridium owns and operates a fleet of low earth orbit satellites.
Iridium provides voice and data communications to businesses, United States and foreign governments, non-governmental organizations and consumers.
2 unchanged sentences
these products work on Iridium's satellite network.
+Added: ORBCOMM owns and operates a fleet of low earth orbit satellites.
+Added: ORBCOMM primarily provides asset tracking, monitoring and control solutions for its customers in the IoT market, which directly compete with our IoT products and services.
We compete with regional mobile satellite communications services in several markets.
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In addition to cost, there is a significant amount of lead-time associated with obtaining the required licenses, designing and building the satellite constellation and synchronizing the network technology.
+Added: Governmental Regulations
+Added: Please refer to Item 1A:
+Added: Risk Factors - " Risks Related to Government Regulations" for further discussion of the impact of governmental regulations on our business.
United States International Traffic in Arms Regulations and United States Export Administration Regulations
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We continue to maintain all of the patents in the United States, Canada and Europe that we believe are important to our business.
−Removed: Our intellectual property is pledged as security for our obligations under our senior secured credit facility agreement (the “Facility Agreement”) and second lien credit facility agreement (the "Second Lien Term Loan Facility").
−Removed: As of December 31, 2019 , we had 336 employees, 24 of whom were located in Brazil and subject to collective bargaining agreements.
+Added: Our intellectual property is pledged as security for our obligations under our senior secured credit facility agreement (the “First Lien Facility Agreement”) and second lien credit facility agreement (the "Second Lien Facility Agreement").
+Added: Human Capital
+Added: As of December 31, 2020, we had 346 employees in twelve countries around the world;
+Added: 23 of our employees were located in Brazil and subject to collective bargaining agreements.
We consider our relationship with our employees to be good.
+Added: Our compensation and benefit packages are designed to attract and retain employees and were developed using market research.
+Added: We attract employees through various platforms, such as online job portals, in-person job fairs, local universities and employee referrals.
+Added: Salaries are competitive and based on job position, physical location, experience and skills.
+Added: In addition to base salary, certain employees participate in longer-term incentive programs, which includes awards of stock-based compensation.
+Added: Our benefits packages include, but are not limited to, health insurance, a retirement plan, an employee stock purchase plan, flexible spending accounts, life and accidental injury insurance, long- and short-term disability, and paid time off for holidays, vacation, sick time and parental leave.
+Added: We also encourage training and development through Globalstar University, which is an online platform that hosts a variety of training programs ranging from leadership and management programs to technical, on the job training.
+Added: Employee engagement is also important for us, and includes an interactive wellness program, corporate communications and employee surveys.
+Added: Our commitment to diversity and inclusion is part of our worldwide culture, which our employees confirmed in our most recent employee survey with "Diversity and Inclusion" being one of the highest rated culture categories.
Usage on the network and, to some extent, sales are subject to seasonal and situational changes.
−Removed: April through October are typically our peak months for service revenues and equipment sales.
+Added: April through October are typically our peak months for usage-based service revenues and equipment sales.
We also experience event-driven revenue fluctuations in our business.
11 unchanged sentences
Compared sentence by sentence after normalising whitespace, quotation marks, case and digits, so re-formatting and restated figures do not read as changed language. Wording changes appear as one removal and one addition. The current filing and the prior one are authoritative.