20 years of restarting life

Chapter 2840 Qiao Hang's Iridium Dream

As for Qiao Hang's excitement and shock, although Mike and Doug were also surprised by what Zhao Changan said about restarting the Iridium project, it was still a very distant thing at the moment.

From its establishment to bankruptcy, Iridium burned through $50 billion in just six years, but only gained 5.5 users.

According to estimates, Iridium can only break even if its global users exceed 65.

Steps and ideas that are too advanced will ultimately lead to the burying of your dreams.

Iridium, which is now bankrupt, has not only burned through $20 billion in funds from Motorola and other partners, but also owes $30 billion in debts.

In March last year, Motorola and its partners attempted to auction these satellites in bankruptcy court, pricing each at $3 million, which was only one-fifth of the cost of manufacturing and launching them. However, still no one was interested.

Zhao Changan was not unaware of this matter at the time, but the total price of 78 satellites (66 in-orbit satellites and 12 in-orbit spare satellites) was US$7.8 million, or RMB 65 billion.

In March of the millennium, a nanometer was worth 3 billion RMB, let alone 65 million RMB, which was a fantasy.

Afterwards, Iridium first lowered the 10 satellites (communication satellites among 88 that failed to successfully enter the planned orbit) to a low orbit, and then started the process of falling and burning into the atmosphere.

When Iridium was preparing to continue using the self-destruction program to burn the 78 satellites, a businessman named Colusi saved the fate of Iridium.

Colusi offered Motorola and other creditors $2500 million to acquire the satellites, and then the US military awarded New Iridium a five-year, $5 million per year contract.

Of course, Zhao Changan can afford the 2500 million US dollars, but if he dares to ask for it without knowing the consequences, he will definitely not get this life-saving contract.

Instead, he will be forced to fork out another 3000 to 5000 million US dollars to burn these satellites one after another. Then there will be all kinds of unimaginable claims, one after another, until he is stripped of everything except his underwear and returns home in disgrace.

Become a typical example of a laughing stock who loves to generate electricity.

However, up to now, Iridium's 66 operating satellites and 12 backup satellites in orbit, except for the big order signed for five years with an annual value of 3600 million, the new Iridium users are all scattered small users who can only barely struggle to survive.

Starting from the first satellite launched in 96, by the end of 99, a total of 88 satellites had been launched.

The Delta II rocket, Proton K rocket and Long March 2C improved rocket were used.

Many of the above technologies are now completely outdated, the data transmission capacity is appalling, and the design life of the satellite is only 5-8 years.

Even after more than a year of persistent adjustments and clarifications by Colusi, it now seems that the Iridium project is still a bottomless quagmire that can only make Colusi and his barefoot people mess around.

But if you are wearing shoes, it is best not to touch it easily.

But this is still a bit far away and can be put aside for the time being. However, Qi Xidong's words "whether it will even follow the QWERTY full keyboard, shortcut keys, and BlackBerry OS operating system" made them very dissatisfied.

The full QWERTY keyboard is one of Mike's most proud and genius designs, and this design is also recognized and sought after by a large number of users.

The BlackBerry shortcut keys are a key skill that distinguishes experienced BlackBerry BBers (people who use BlackBerry) from general players.

As for the BlackBerry OS operating system, it is one of the core attributes of BlackBerry.

So Mike questioned Qi Xidong a little angrily: "Even the QWERTY full keyboard, BlackBerry shortcut keys, and BlackBerry OS operating system have to be changed or even abandoned. Is the RIM6230professional still a RIM phone?"

"So first of all, this can reduce the cost of replacing RIM6230. Really experienced BlackBerry users can choose the lower-cost RIM6230+. And for those young people who are chasing new trends, the RIM6230professional, which gets rid of too many restrictive elements of the original BlackBerry phone, should be their more correct choice!" When it comes to a dispute of principles, Qi Xidong certainly won't give in.

"The purpose of naming it RIM6230professiona is of course to take advantage of the brand height and dividends of RIM6230. However, in the end, RIM6230professiona and its subsequent new series of mobile phones will gradually get rid of people's understanding of its original RIM mobile phones. Mike, Doug, please believe me, we can continue to work hard on the subsequent series of mobile phones of RIM6230, and we can also continue to work on the pro series of mobile phones."

Zhao Changan sincerely said to Mike and Doug: "We can even do this. North America will continue to develop and manufacture the RIM6230 series of mobile phones, while China will develop and manufacture the Pro series of mobile phones."

At this moment, Zhao Changan was very glad that he had grabbed a piece of land in Zhengzhou. Otherwise, looking at Mike and Doug's faces, they would never agree to let the mobile phone factory in Waterloo give up the production capacity of RIM6230+ and BlackBerry6710 to free up enough manufacturing volume for RIM6230professional.

The maximum production capacity of BlackBerry's mobile phone manufacturing plant in Waterloo, Toronto is 40 units. Zhao Changan estimates that this manufacturing volume is far from enough to meet the demand for RIM6230+ and BlackBerry6710. At least 100 million units per year can barely support the strong demand for mobile phones to be re-entered the market.

In other words, this alone will be enough to keep the mobile phone manufacturers in Waterloo very busy next year. How could they be willing to free up production lines for RIM6230professional?

Although Zhao Changan is the chairman of BlackBerry, Qi Xidong is the president of BlackBerry, and Mike is the soul of BlackBerry.

Even if RIM6230professional can become a world-class hit phone, compared with the importance of Mike to BlackBerry, in Zhao Changan's opinion, the global shipments of 1.6 million mobile phones are not more important to BlackBerry than Mike.

After hearing Zhao Changan's explanation, Mike and Doug's faces immediately brightened. It could even be said that Zhao Changan had come up with a good plan that exceeded their expectations.

This means it is still BlackBerry, except that Zhao Changan wants to rebuild a mobile phone factory in China and use many of BlackBerry's technologies, operating systems, and names.

Of course, that's nothing.

If, as Zhao Changan said, RIM6230+ and RIM6230professional are two completely different mobile phones that can be seen at a glance.

RIM and RIMpro are two completely different brands.

Then the problem that you have been worrying about will naturally no longer be a problem.

"This RIMpro is actually the same as what you and Jim have been discussing before, that Yinnano and BlackBerry will cooperate to set up a joint venture mobile phone factory in China. But now it has become a subsidiary wholly owned by BlackBerry?"

Doug.

"Yes, that's pretty much what it means."

Zhao Changan.

Mike and Doug smiled at each other. This was equivalent to returning to the situation they had always wanted to promote, BlackBerry or RIM. As for the Chinese subsidiary RIMpro, according to the principle of Occam's razor, they could even ignore it completely.

Seeing the smiles on Mike and Doug's faces, Qi Xidong had a smile that showed he had come to terms with it after a slight regret, Qiao Hang's eyes were still filled with excitement, as if he wanted to have a long talk with him, Jin Chenxiao's eyes were filled with admiration for him, and Freya looked at him with curiosity.

Zhao Changan knew that everyone was very satisfied, but in fact he was a little dissatisfied in his heart.

Mike and Doug are indeed very strong in technical ability, but they also have the stubborn temper that engineering men are prone to.

However, this result was acceptable. He stood up with a smile and said loudly, "For the bright future of BlackBerry, let's drink this glass!"

Everyone stood up and drank their fill with laughter.