Globalcom Satellite Communications has debuted their SPOT Satellite Messenger. This new unit is the smallest satellite messenger available and provides a satellite GPS personal locater. Folk check in with their families, ask for help, track their progress, or call for 911. This is the answer for people who do not want to spend the money on a satellite phone but do need something reliable to communicate with friends and family. This unit allows one-way communication only. As many as five people you designate would receive an email or text message to their cellular phone when you activate the “OK” or the “Help” features.
SPOT weighs only seven ounces and can be carried in a backpack. There are four buttons on the hard durable case that allow the owner to check in with family, ask for help, or even call for 911. The GEOS International Call Center answers the emergency calls and can route search and rescue personnel to your GPS provided location within five to ten minutes with an accuracy of up to 20 feet. SPOT has a rugged waterproof construction, SPOT floats, and has been tested to work in extreme temperatures. The unit uses lithium AA batteries, which should provide a life of approximately 12 months. Globalcom Satellite Communications will be taking orders starting on November 1, 2007.
There is a proven 99.4 percent reliability with the SPOT system. More than 6 million messages a month, or approximately 2.3 messages per second, are already handled. The SPOT network uses a GPS satellite system to verify a user’s location and the coverage includes the continental United States, Canada, Europe, Mexico, and Australia, along with sections of South America, Northern Africa, and Northeastern Asia. Coverage is also including hundreds of miles offshore to these areas. The optional unlimited tracking feature allows the owner to keep up with their progress on their trips. Google Maps™ allows people to log into the SPOT account on the Internet and view progress or review routes that may have been taken—Decatur, Alabama


