Estimate of Where Stratellite is headed (IMO)
Here are some thoughts to considered:
1. Uncle Sam wants the Stratellite so that should help in getting it fully developed as a platform for government use and ease the development for commercial use.
2. Commercial use is going to happen and although it may not happen first in the U.S. it is going to happen.
3. The major players (Non-government) who are able to help us achieve our goals will be a part of this evolution.
4. There will be those who think this isn’t needed because they are biased, especially the satellite industry. This technology will put a hamper on the satellite industry (private/government) were billions of dollars are spent. The Stratellite is bringing forth a technology that we spent billions on that could be done for millions. It is GOING to happen.
5. Imaginary case scenario: Major cell phone company, owner of many cell towers in the U.S. signed a 10-year lease agreement with cell phone company #2 in 1997 and cell phone company #3 in 1998. In 2006 the Major cell phone company contacts cell phone company #2 and cell phone company #3 to renew agreements. Cell phone company #2 and cell phone company #3 declines to renew as they will have their own network up and running fully by fourth quarter 2006. However what they did do was sign a reciprocal agreement with major cell phone company to back up their cell towers and for major cell phone company to back up their newly leased Stratellites.
6. Cell phone towers aren't going anywhere no time soon, however as the Stratellites evolve and prove their worthiness, then the transition to use them as primary platform in the U.S. for commercial communications will take place. Overseas is another scenario.
7. No matter how good a product is, there usually is evoloution, transition, incubation etc...
Every company had a birth somewhere. Somebody posted somewhere that Nokia used to sell paper or something. Do you remember WorldCom/MCI. It started as a small company in Mississippi called LDDS or something. I brought shares in the ealry 90s and sold in the late 90s before they bought/merged with MCI. I watched emerge from a baby to a worldwide powerhouse. I onced own a stock called Metricom (MCOM) bought as an IPO in early 90s. Its' plan was to built a wireless gateway for the internet in The bay area of San Francisco, CA, Wash D.C. and some other places.
They spent millions trying to accomplish this. Too many antennae to hang (on telephnoe poles). They finally went belly up. GTEL has a great plan and it will succeed in time.
8. Look at the evolution of cell phones they used to be big and expensive, now they are small and cheap. My last 2 were free. Now if we could just get the prices of the plans down.:)
9. One of the most outrageous prices is cable TV. A few months ago I got rid of my cable ($60/month) and got DISH TV($45/Month), changed cell phone companies, already had DSL, and kept my local phone company (SBC). I get one bill from SBC for all services with multiple discounts. SBC is company that thinks out of the box. They are buying AT&T and I believe own part of Cingular. I hope they think enough out of the box to take a good look at the Stratellite potential.
10. Bottom line is ROME wasn't built in a day. Stay tuned
