Chapter 99 Iridium Satellite Corporation (IRIDIUM)

Eva's contact with Motorola through a public relations company soon yielded results. As a dual leader in the mobile communication solution and network solution markets, Motorola did not push out such a powerful partner as Yota Communications. They quickly sent people to Cambridge to contact Yota Communications.

Motorola is very interested in Eva's crazy plan. According to preliminary estimates, the number of low-earth orbit satellites required to achieve global satellite communication is about 77, and this number already includes spare satellites. The total investment exceeds five billion US dollars. This amount of money is definitely a major investment for Motorola, but for the rich and powerful Golgi-type enterprises, it is only the income from helping the Medellin Group handle funds for one year. Based on the idea that if you don't invest, you will lose value, Yota Communications is very interested in operating this satellite company exclusively. The reason why Motorola had to be hired was because of the satellite technology in the hands of the other party.

"We are very interested in your plan. I want to know what we have to pay and what can we get?" the vice president of negotiation sent by Motorola asked straight to the point.

"To be honest, I'm not particularly optimistic about your investment in this project. Yota Communications does not lack funds at all. What we lack is mature communication satellite platform technology. If you are willing to transfer this technology to us, then we Then we will communicate in the next step on the next cooperation." Eva responded domineeringly. To be honest, the technology of Yota Communication is irreplaceable in this era, and there are more mature communication satellite platforms. Motorola is not willing to have a large number of companies behind it as alternatives, such as Marconi in the UK, France Alcatel of the United States, and even Lockheed Martin, an American arms company, also has very mature technology in this regard.

"What kind of condition is this? Do you know how much money we have invested in the satellite platform? Unless you can come up with conditions that we like, I'm afraid there will be no basis for cooperation between us?" The vice president of Motorola was also unwilling Said weakly.

"Okay, then let me talk about our conditions. If you are willing to transfer the satellite platform technology to us, we can pay you a considerable income. At the same time, you can also choose to use this technology to invest in our upcoming The established Iridium Star Company, of course, has a third option, that is, you can obtain the exclusive authorization in North America to produce terminal equipment that can intervene in Yota communication, and the authorization period is three years." Eva has already drawn up a cooperation plan The method is to choose one of the three methods, either to take the money and leave, or to exchange technology, or to buy shares and do it together, but the controlling stake will definitely be in the hands of Yota Communications.

These three conditions have both advantages and disadvantages for Motorola. If it takes a stake, once the company fails, Motorola may not get anything. It is straightforward to take the money and leave, but it also lost Motorola's opportunity to enter the field of telecommunications operations. The third condition, the exclusive authorization of terminal equipment in North America for three years, does not seem to be a good condition. After the other party hesitated again and again, he finally put forward the fourth suggestion.

"If you are willing to pay a part of the money to buy our satellite technology,

At the same time, if you give us the exclusive authorization of terminal equipment, I think we can still consider it? Of course, we are also very interested in your newly established company, and hope to obtain a part of the shares? "The vice president of Motorola was a little bit reluctant about the three conditions. He hoped to maximize the company's benefits. So he hoped to get some rights under the three conditions.

"Sir, isn't your company a bit too greedy? I don't want to pay money and want to take shares for nothing. I think if we change the way, we will give you the authorization and pay some cash in return. At the same time, we I can give you the right of priority to acquire shares. Once we need new investors in the future, your company can purchase the shares of our telecommunications operating company first under the same conditions. I don’t know what you like?" It has been modified a bit. Although there is no reluctance in terms of shares, it has also given the other party the right of first refusal. This is actually more beneficial to Motorola, because no company needs financing. At that time, Motorola can take a look at Yota's development trend in the operator field before making a decision.

"I personally have no objection to this condition. I think I need to go back and make a report to the board of directors. We will give your company an answer within a week." Already tempted.

...

After sending away the vice president of Motorola, Eva did not stop her footsteps. Through her Harvard alumni association, she found the director of the commercial launch department at NASA and consulted on satellite launch plans. Eva's Iridium company needs to send 77 low-Earth orbit communication satellites into space. I am afraid that no commercial company has done such a crazy launch plan before.

"Oh! This plan of yours is so cool, it is really a crazy plan. I don't think NASA will reject customers like you. After all, if we accept this order, then we will be in business It is the most successful example of cooperation in the history of launch. I can tell you without hesitation that we are willing to undertake a series of launch missions of your company.” Eva’s alumni replied excitedly.

"However, we are still in the confidentiality stage. We hope that this matter will not be known to the media and the public until Motorola gives us a formal confirmation. Because of our current relationship with AT&T, I don't want them to destroy Our collaboration," Eva reminds her alumni.

"No problem, absolutely no problem! Please rest assured that we at NASA are absolutely willing to participate in your Yota communication Iridium project. I think if you succeed, the old Inmarsat system can be thrown in the trash , 7 dollars per minute, they just rob the bank!" Eva's alumni said contemptuously.

...

A month later, at the Plaza Hotel in New York. Yota Communications, Motorola, NASA's commercial launch company, and Columbia Insurance announced a cooperation plan that shocked the world's telecommunications industry. The four companies will cooperate to form a global mobile communication network operator based on Yota's second-generation mobile communication technology. ——Iridium Satellite Company (IRIDIUM), the company's logo is a golden Big Dipper pattern. Just after Yota Communications announced the news, AT&T's stock suffered a severe setback. It once fell as much as 12 percent during the session, shocking the market.