Calling home for a quarter

摘要

Satellite phone service edges toward cellular prices. Will it last? A phone call via satellite has become cheaper than most people frankly thought possible. Last August, Globalstar stunned its principal competitors--Iridium and MSAT--by dramaticallyreducing its rates. For 99 dollar per month, you get 400 minutes of airtime on Globalstar. That's 25 cents per minute; additional minutes are 65 cents. Globalstar's most daring package is the "Powerline 3000," which costs 499 dollar/month and is based onairtime rates of 17 cents/minute. You can talk for two straight days, if you are so inclined.