Globalstar Europe Satellite Services Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Globalstar, Inc. and the leader in satellite messaging and emergency notification technologies, has announced that UK specialist wireless and satellite technology reseller, Global Telesat Communications (GTC), a subsidiary of Orbsat Corp, has surpassed the milestone of selling 15,000 SPOT devices. This includes 1,500 SPOT units deployed to safeguard remote working or at-risk employees for organisations including the UK Forestry Commission and numerous other commercial and non-commercial entities.
GTC’s customer base for SPOT spans both consumer and organisational users including security firms, utilities, maritime operations specialists, sports event organisers, government agencies, professional remote workers, as well as adventurers and other travellers.
GTC has won SPOT contracts awarded by government and commercial organisations including the deployment of more than 850 SPOT Gen3’s by the UK Forestry Commission since early 2016. The Commission, and GTC’s other organisational customers, use SPOT Gen3 to improve the safety of staff working in remote areas where alternative communications are unreliable or unavailable. NATO procured its SPOT Trace devices from GTC to study ocean current movement, using buoys, for operational purposes.
By using satellite communications, enabled by Globalstar’s second-generation Low-Earth Orbit satellite fleet, SPOT enables users to stay connected with emergency services, colleagues, friends and family, anywhere, even when beyond the reach of mobile phone networks and radio communications.
Both SPOT Gen3 and SPOT X, the most recent addition to the SPOT family, feature a one-touch SOS button that instantly sends the user’s GPS location to the GEOS International Emergency Response Coordination Centre (IERCC) over Globalstar’s satellite network. The IERCC then transmits details to local first responders to dispatch help to the user’s location.
The devices’ tracking feature can help first responders, friends and colleagues to locate users even if they are unable to press the SOS button during an emergency.
Organisations which deploy SPOT for staff safety have the option of configuring their devices to directly send an SOS alert to in-house security and operation centres, instantly transmitting GPS co-ordinates for prompt internal emergency handling.
“The milestones we are celebrating today are testament to the high quality, reach and reliability of Globalstar’s satellite network and its SPOT devices which enable always-on communications and user safety,” says David Phipps, Chief Executive Officer of Orbsat Corp: “Now with SPOT X, and its extra two-way communications capabilities, we anticipate continued strong demand for SPOT products, and significant upward migration from SPOT Gen3 to SPOT X by both professional and leisure users.”
SPOT X, launched in EMENA in January 2019, offers full two-way SMS and email as well as GPS tracking and a one-touch SOS button. It is the only satellite messenger on the market to give users a permanent phone number, easy check-in function and a full, backlit QWERTY keypad for intuitive typing. SPOT X also offers the industry’s longest battery life in both tracking and SOS modes and is priced competitively
“We are extremely proud of the ongoing expansion and growing diversity of the SPOT user base,“ said Mark O’Connell, Globalstar EMEA General Manager. “To be trusted to safeguard and provide lifeline communications to staff as they carry out their important duties in remote or dangerous environments is both a responsibility and an honour. We congratulate GTC for achieving the milestone announced today, and we look forward to continuing to collaborate to provide safety and peace of mind to more people,” he added.
Since its 2007 launch, Globalstar’s family of SPOT GPS satellite messengers have helped to assist in over 6,800 rescues worldwide, in many of which lives were saved.