A Globalstar ground station. Photo: Globalstar

[Via Satellite 09-30-2014] Mobile Satellite Services (MSS) provider Globalstar is seeking to build up its presence in Southern Africa by building a new gateway station in Gaborone, Botswana. Broadband Botswana Internet (BBi) has partnered on the new facility, which is already under construction and is expected to be complete by the end of the year.

From Botswana, Globalstar will be able to extend its reach to South Africa, Namibia, Mozambique, Tanzania, Madagascar, Swaziland, Lesotho, Malawi, Angola, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Burundi and Zambia. The company intends to bring its entire Simplex offering, including the Spot tracking and monitoring solutions.

Together with BBi, Globalstar plans to focus first on the markets of personal assets, commercial trucking, animal tracking, mining, and oil and gas applications. The new gateway will bring Globalstar’s Simplex and Spot services up to near-global coverage.