TerreStar launches ginormous satellite in preparation for service

If you want data service on your phone positively, absolutely anywhere you happen to be in the US or Canada, this one's for you: TerreStar just successfully launched its aptly-named TerreStar-1 satellite, which just happens to be the largest commercial satellite ever deployed. This dovetails perfectly with news that the upstart satphone provider is partnering with AT&T to offer service later this year, presumably with a variant of that sweet little Elektrobit WinMo piece we had a chance to check out a few months back. Cost could be a concern, but it should be cheaper than the problem-plagued Iridium back when it launched -- and hybrid HSPA capability is a major win, too.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

[iCello Posted Jul 2nd 2009 7:57PM]

Sounds nice, but won't effect me for years. Anyone have any idea how fast this will be?

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 3rd 2009 12:33AM]

Why, 17,000 mph, my boy.

"That's no Moon."

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 3rd 2009 9:30AM]

Gigantic. Enormous. No lets go pre-school yet again with GINORMOUS.

Anyway back to the subject, that satoolyte is awesomungus!

[Chris Posted Jul 3rd 2009 11:32AM]

Every time I upset a grammar / spelling nazi, I get a cookie, a gold star, and a kitten. Until the deal gets less sweet, this is going to keep happening.

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 3rd 2009 4:11PM]

You work for a major media company; AOL is it not? Surely you must have a degree or similar qualification for a job in journalism? But lets say you don't, you do though work on a web-mag that deals in technology, so therefore you must be aware of spellcheck? I'm not a spelling expert, I use a spell checking plug-in on Firefox, though this really doesn't matter as I don't write for a respectable and major news broadcasting / media company. Enjoy your cookie, gold star and/or kitten. BTW no need for the comma preceding the "and a kitten" :)

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 20th 2009 3:40PM]

Are you really this stupid? Is this just because he used the "word" ginormous? You realize that it's an intentional conflation of two words, right? Do you also realize that using an extra comma at the end of a list is perfectly acceptable? >_>

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 4th 2009 9:11AM]

Terrestar finally will break in with use of ATC like no other MSS has ever done in N. America. Globalstar & Iridium never could realize the dual mode capability of their systems although they developed them to accommodate multi-mode phones. Terrestar has the first true shirt pocket sized PDA/Smartphone/Satellite phone. Too bad it's not global but where it does cover is a big advance. Go to: www.terrestar.com