WASHINGTON (States News Service) - Satellite phones, a technology long heralded as the future in mobile communications but slow to pan out, are finally available to the public at an affordable level -- though on a limited basis -- Globalstar USA announced Friday.

Globalstar, which has won investor confidence with a cautious introduction plan, is still not ready for full commercial service. Friday's announcement for limited service was not accompanied by any sort of ad blitz or sales push. Instead, the company is hoping for already targeted customers to sign up, at discounted rates, giving the company five to 10 weeks to fine tune the system. However, anyone who wants the phone now can sign up at regional distributors around the country.

"We'll be everywhere," said company spokeswoman Toni Carinci.

Previous satellite phone systems have been targeted at the economic elite, costing up to $10,000 for the phone, up to $10 a minute for service, and often accompanied by a briefcase-sized transmitter. Globalstar USA is one of three companies, along with Iridium LLC and ICO Global Communications, that promised to bring the technology to a broad market. The other two companies are going through bankruptcy or severe reorganization, leaving Globalstar as the last hope for cheap satellite communications.

But cheap is relative. Globalstar phones, similar in size and weight to some of the early hand-held cell phones, still cost about $1,500. The company is not targeting mothers commuting home from work, but industry specialists in agriculture, forestry, mining or maritime activities -- people who are out of range of conventional cell phone transmitters.

Globalstar executives speaking last year at the International Space Business Assembly also spoke of a large, untapped market in foreign nations, where many people desire mobile phone service, but where there is no cell phone infrastructure similar to the many towers and transmitters in the United States.

Customers must buy a Globalstar phone, which can operate in three modes: standard cell phone, digital mobile phone and satellite phone. Customers will be able to connect with any standard cell phone service, such as Bell Mobile, or AT&T, whenever they are in range of a cellular or digital transmitter, presumably at a cheaper rate.

Whenever customers cannot get traditional service, they can extend the special antenna by hand, larger than a traditional cell phone's almost vestigial antenna, and connect to one of Globalstar's 44 low-Earth-orbit satellites. Once connected, customers are charged for satellite time based on one of three plans:

Monthly cost: $29.99. Minutes you get for free: 0

Cost for each additional minute: $1.69

Using the phone for 10 minutes a month would cost you: $46.89

Using the phone for two hours a month would cost you: $232.79

Using the phone for five hours a month would cost you: $536.99

Monthly cost: $169.99. Minutes you get for free: 100

Cost for each additional minute: $1.49

Using the phone for 10 minutes a month would cost you: $169.99

Using the phone for two hours a month would cost you: $199.79

Using the phone for five hours a month would cost you: $467.99

Monthly cost: $369.99. Minutes you get for free: 250

Cost for each additional minute: $1.39

Using the phone for 10 minutes a month would cost you: $369.99

Using the phone for two hours a month would cost you: $369.99

Using the phone for five hours a month would cost you: $439.49