Globalstar, a next-generation telecommunications infrastructure and technology provider, together with its wholly-owned subsidiary, Globalstar Europe SAS, announces that construction has commenced to double the size of its existing ground station in Estonia to support the expansion of its enhanced mobile satellite system and services. With the assistance of the Estonian Investment Agency and U.S. Commercial Service personnel at the U.S. Embassy in Tallinn, Globalstar acquired from the municipality of Saarde the land necessary to construct its initial ground station. The facility was commissioned in 2021 after the construction of three 6-meter tracking antennas and related infrastructure.
With today’s announcement, Globalstar will double the size of its Estonian ground station by adding three additional 6-meter antennas together with associated infrastructure to support its third-generation C-3 mobile satellite system and expanded service offerings across Europe. The incremental investment in Estonia is approximately $9 million. Globalstar has contracted with AS Connecto Infra based in Tallinn, Estonia to design and construct the ground station expansion.
“Our ground station in Estonia, like our facilities in Greece, Spain, and France, is supporting critical communications, including emergency SOS services, to millions of people across Europe,” said L. Barbee Ponder, General Counsel & Vice President of Regulatory Affairs for Globalstar.
“Globalstar is a good example of a company that provides innovative, vital telecommunication services in the region. It is also an acknowledgement that the Estonian business ecosystem is a good fit for such value chains. This expansion gives us confidence to further develop the space sector,” said Mihkel Kärg, Regional Investment Consultant for the Estonian Entrepreneurship and Innovation Foundation.
“We are pleased to support the growth of Globalstar’s ground station facility in Kilingi-Nõmme,” said Külli Karu, Deputy Mayor of Saarde municipality. “These facilities provide wireless communications via satellite to people across Europe who would otherwise be unconnected during times of emergency or crisis, and we are proud that Globalstar continues to rely upon our region for further investment in this infrastructure. It is important for the municipality to be a reliable partner and contribute actively to its success, thereby demonstrating that we are open to diverse investment proposals and are trusted partners.”
“With this announcement, we continue our close collaboration with the Estonian Administration and the municipality of Saarde,” said Ponder. “These additional investments in Estonia and other expansions of our international ground stations support critical communications in areas where there are no terrestrial mobile networks and in situations where terrestrial mobile networks are disabled due to a natural disaster or man-made events. Recent wildfires across the world, hurricanes in the United States, and the failure of power grids in European metropolitan areas all create situations where satellite connectivity is essential.”
Estonia is part of a sweeping global expansion, including up to 90 new tracking antennas supporting Globalstar’s third-generation C-3 satellite system, representing a significant investment in the functionality, capacity, and future proofing of its network, designed to support next-generation services to hundreds of millions of people around the world.
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