MILPITAS, Calif., Feb. 18, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Spot LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Globalstar Inc. (Nasdaq:GSAT) and a leader in personal satellite messaging communications today announced it has begun shipping the new SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger™ to customers and retail partners. SPOT, the maker of the world's first satellite GPS Messenger, introduced the SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger™ (SPOT 2) in October 2009. The new SPOT product features several upgrades and modifications and has passed rigorous environmental and operating quality assurance testing.
"Providing high quality, reliable satellite messaging products is our number one commitment to consumers and retail partners," said Peter Dalton, CEO of Globalstar Inc., and SPOT LLC. "We have worked diligently to help ensure our customers continue to receive the finest safety communications products available on the market."
The new handheld SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger™ is the next generation in the SPOT product line following the award-winning SPOT Satellite Personal Tracker™. Feature rich enhancements in the new SPOT Messenger offer a more robust and intuitive user experience in a smaller, more compact size. SPOT customers will enjoy advanced GPS performance for faster location acquisition, a new Custom Message mode and a dedicated button for GPS Tracking. Additionally, the new SPOT comes equipped with GPS acquisition and message sending LED confirmation.
The SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger™ provides outdoor enthusiasts and individual workers the ability to stay in touch with others from remote areas around the world outside of cellular coverage. SPOT sends GPS-based pre-defined messages via satellite to select contact groups including family, friends and co-workers and allows others to track their location in real-time on Google Maps™. In an emergency, SPOT will transmit an SOS/911 message alert to an International Emergency Response Center with the SPOT owner's GPS location updated every 5 minutes. Since market introduction, the SPOT product line has initiated more than 550 rescues in 51 countries and at sea.
Pricing and Availability
The SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger retails for $169.99 USD with an annual service plan starting at $99.99. General availability of SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger™ in North America is expected for early March 2010 at many of SPOT's 8,000 points of distribution. To locate a local SPOT retailer near you, please visit the company's dealer locator at www.findmespot.com.
About Spot LLC
The SPOT product family uses both the GPS satellite network to determine a customer's location and the SPOT network to transmit that information to friends, family or an emergency service call center. SPOT LLC, a subsidiary of Globalstar, Inc. (Nasdaq:GSAT), provides lifesaving communications technology that allows users to communicate from remote locations around the globe. Thanks to this affordable, cutting-edge personal safety device, the company offers people peace of mind by allowing customers to notify friends and family of their location and status, and to send for emergency assistance in time of need, completely independent of cellular phone or wireless coverage. For more information on how SPOT LLC is helping users live to tell about it(SM) - from disaster preparedness to outdoor adventure purposes - visit www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/ctr%3Fd=174339%26amp;l=8%26amp;a=www.findmespot.com%26amp;u=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.findmespot.com" target="_top" rel="nofollow">www.findmespot.com.