IRID - Iridium World Communications IPO Announced! Message Board

Sponsor

To: SoliRA who wrote (272)	12/5/1997 9:06:00 AM
From: Fledermaus	Read Replies (1) of 2691

You're too biased and outdated on your vision of third world countries. This IS a message from a third world country (Latin America). But - YES - I think they will buy ALSO for status, in some LA countries (in the beginning), and for NEED in others, and also a mix of need and status. But do not take government officials lightly. Would you buy an American phone that might be tapped by CIA? No, big market is not in the government. Where is it. One big market for Iridium and Globalstar will be the rural area. Take Brazil, for instance. That country has 800.000 rural properties, and very few of them have phones. Most rely on radio. Let's say only 10% will have money to buy the phone (US$ 3,000). That's 80.000 prospective clients, only in the rural area!! This does not include those people that have "fincas" (small rural estates, used mainly on weekends) outside the big cities (San Paulo= 12 million inhabitants, Rio = 10 million). Iridium will get there first (between one and half to two years in advance or more - if Globalstar keeps postponing launches - they have done it for the fourth time already!) Enough for now! More to come!