Following Motorola Inc’s proposed $12.9m satellite network set up in competition with Teledesic Inc (CI No 3,184), Loral Space & Communications Ltd and Alcatel Alstrom SA have now confirmed their proposed partnership to develop and deploy multimedia satellite networks across the world, will go ahead (CI No 3,132). Ironically, the Loral-Alcatel consolidation has been interpreted as an indication that there are already far too many consortia planning global satellite mobile telephone networks. The agreement will see cross investment of around $30m in Loral’s geostationary satellite-based CyberStar project, valued at some $2bn, and into Alcatel’s $3.9bn SkyBridge system. Services will be introduced next year via leased transponders and through dedicated geostationary satellites in 1999, before being delivered via a constellation of LEO satellites in 2001. The companies believe the combination of their systems will enable real-time interaction and high bandwidth capabilities for applications to be finally achieved.
