GSM/Satellite phone

For those looking at buying a satellite phone. Thuraya have just launched Thuraya 3, which sits @ 98.5 degrees East. So what you say. This gives a footprint over Australia. The word is that the GSM side is on Optus 900 Mhz and when no GSM coverage the phone switches to Thuraya 3. Thuraya 3 is a geosynchronous bird with a capacity for 13,750 simultaneous voice circuits. As Thuraya 3 was launched on the 15 th of Jan the product is rumored to be hitting the market around April 08. I would say that it is bye bye Globalstar

http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/space/bss/factsheets/geomobile/thuraya2_3/thuraya2_3.html