FCC Authorises Globalstar's Latest Satellite Constellation for US Direct-to-Device Services

Globalstar has received authorisation from the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to operate its third-generation C-3 mobile satellite system across the United States, clearing a key regulatory milestone ahead of the constellation's planned deployment beginning in 2027.

The C-3 system will comprise 48 operational LEO satellites and six in-orbit spares, operating at an altitude of approximately 1,414 kilometres. Designed primarily for direct-to-device (D2D) connectivity, the constellation is intended to provide increased capacity and improved performance for satellite communications with conventional smartphones and other compatible mobile devices.

The FCC approval authorises Globalstar to communicate with mobile earth terminals throughout the United States, including devices supporting satellite-to-smartphone services. It also permits ground station antennas in Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada, Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico to communicate with the new constellation, establishing the regulatory framework for its US ground segment.

The wider C-3 architecture will incorporate approximately 90 six-metre ground station antennas worldwide, with satellite command and control managed from facilities in Toulouse, France, and Covington, Louisiana. The satellites are being manufactured by Canada's MDA Space, while the constellation has been registered with the International Telecommunication Union through France under the designation AST-NG-C-3.