02.13.02
Computer World
by Russell Kay
New Promise in Wireless Products
PHOENIX — Fast wireless data is wonderful. It's too bad we can't get it reliably outside the office wireless LAN. Agreement on standards is less than good, and the infrastructure simply isn't there.
At the Demo 2002 conference, a number of new products were shown that have the potential to radically improve wireless technology as we know it. The Demo 2002 is sponsored by IDG Executive Forum, a unit of International Data Group Inc., which publishes Computerworld.
Lost in space?
The product that, on its
face, seemed the goofiest turns out to have some real potential
value.
Space Data Corp. in Chandler, Ariz., has a truly novel approach to solving one of cellular telephony's biggest problems — lack of coverage. Cell towers have a range of only six to 12 miles. That's fine in urban or built-up areas, but there are vast areas of the U.S. where your cell phone will do you no good whatsoever because there isn't a cell tower within range, and there likely never will be.
Space Data has an agreement with the U.S. government's National Weather Service, which releases some 70 weather balloons twice each day from across the country. Space Data attaches a radio transceiver to each weather balloon, and when the balloons attain their working altitude of 100,000 feet, the radio has a coverage circle approximately 350 miles in diameter.
With this SkySite Network, Space Data expects to be able to help traditional wireless carriers supplement their coverage areas without the massive expense of building more towers. Though each balloon's transceiver can't handle a large amount of traffic, its capacity seems well-matched, however, to the expected traffic in remote areas.
At the conference, we saw Space Data launch a weather balloon. The obvious question, what happens when the balloon bursts or runs out of helium, has a carefully thought-out answer. The transceiver has a parachute to bring it gently back to earth, and it carries a label saying, "This package contains no hazardous material. If found, please drop in the nearest mailbox."