To begin with I think it is important to figure out how SAS primarily going to get most of their revenue. Based on my understanding I will try to explain using hypothetical scenario, so all below is based of my understanding ,DYOR, but I am sure it would be very compelling from logic standpoint;
Imagine SAS have their full constellation up.
Target market: Impoverished communities (the unconnected).
Satellite phone ownership prospect? Currently uncertain, progress unknown. Router system? Cheap smartphone? Oyi-1? Currently also uncertain. What method iz going to be used by end user customers to reach the satellites? So that is one vital problem that should have been addressed by now.
Lets for illustrative purposes we assume all of the problems outlined on the paragraph just above have been sorted out. So we have people in impoverished communities able to reach the satellite from the ground. Hypothetically:
lets say they want to connect to make payment to a bank through an app on their phone. Is the pearls connected to bank servers? Or any servers at all? No. Why not? The pearls are not connected to the infrastructure, owned by someone else and SAS lack the spectrum, also owned by someone else, to connect to the infrastructure. So then they can't connect to the internet at all...
Lets do another one, lets say they want to make phone calls to a relative somewhere far away. Is the pearls connected to the phone lines? No. Why not? The pearls are not connected to the infrastructure owned by someone else and SAS lack the spectrum, also owned by someone else, to connect to the infrastructure. So they can't make phone calls either...
So how to make sure the pearls are connected so that people can make phone calls, use the internet, etc? Commercial offtake agreement with telcos that own both infrastructure and spectrums needed, multiple of such agreements depending on who own what. The same agreements that would outline with much certainty that they are prepared to channel their product offerings through SAS pearls. End user customers in remote communities can then sign up to those services, not through SAS, but directly with the telco themselves. No different to me signing up to telstra for satellite connection provided by irridium, etc. SAS would then get paid by the telcos in return for getting usage out of their pearls. That is why I believe it makes no sense for SAS to claim any revenue numbers without commercial offtake contract with telcos.
Now, global sat I believe is a reseller and the own no infrastructure nor spectrum of their own. I think of it as amaysim or boost mobile, etc no exactly the same but I think similar business model. If the pearls are unconnected then global sat has nothing to sell.....which is why SAS need that commercial offtake contract with telcos.
As for the agreement with globals sat itself I think I have already outlined how based on my understanding of the agreement, there none written any indication where global sat is obligated to do anything. As far as I am concern they may have the right, non exclusive right at that too, to distribute, market, sell, etc but they don't have to if they don't want to....very cheeky agreement don't you think.
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