FCC Approves Globalstar’s C-3 Satellite System for U.S. Operations

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has authorized Globalstar’s planned C-3 satellite system to operate in the United States, advancing its plan to connect smartphones directly to satellites.

The authorization allows C-3 satellites to communicate with U.S. mobile terminals. It also covers ground station antennas in Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada, Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico. Those antennas will connect the planned satellite network to facilities on the ground.

Globalstar plans to deploy 48 low Earth orbit satellites, with six additional satellites held as in-orbit spares. Its network expansion calls for about 90 additional six-meter ground station antennas worldwide. That figure describes the planned additions, rather than Globalstar’s total worldwide antenna count.

Globalstar applied for U.S. market access in February 2025. The FCC Space Bureau accepted the petition for filing and published it for comment on May 30, 2025. With U.S. operating authority granted, the next planned step is to begin satellite launches in 2027.