On Monday, U.S. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana and FCC Chairman Brendan Carr visited the Covington headquarters of Globalstar, a satellite communications company that celebrated the grand opening of its new control center.
Globalstar CEO Paul Jacobs highlighted the company’s rapid expansion, noting that 24 satellites are already operational, providing global service to smartphones and specialized devices. The company has filed a petition with the FCC for U.S. market access for its new mobile satellite services system. Carr assured that under President Donald Trump, the FCC is streamlining application and approval processes to accelerate deployment.
“For a long time, it would take us a long time to move a license application,” Carr said. “We’re trying to add rocket fuel to the FCC’s processes.”
Jacobs announced plans to launch 17 additional satellites by the end of the year, with a long-term goal of deploying over 50 new-generation satellites.
Scalise praised Globalstar’s growth, calling it an industry leader with global impact.
“It’s very exciting to see this company continue to grow right here in south Louisiana, but provide services globally, be an industry leader globally, when you talk about the number of satellites you’ve already commissioned, let alone what’s coming,” Scalise said.
The company’s technology has already played a role in life-saving rescues by enabling communication in areas without cellular coverage. “We can save lives of people, even if they’re outside of cellular service, everywhere around the world,” Jacobs said.
Jacobs explained how Globalstar’s system works: “If you’re outside of cellular coverage, you just take your phone out, look for the satellite icon, and send a message. That message bounces off our satellites down to a location where we have an antenna, and then it’s routed back to our control center here in Louisiana.”
Scalise emphasized the technology’s real-world impact. “There have been well-documented cases where someone was in a remote area with no cell service but had satellite connectivity through Globalstar—and it saved lives.”
Globalstar’s expansion is also bringing jobs to the region. “We have over 100 employees here, and as we open up this new center, we’re going to add another 75,” Jacobs said.
