07.29.02
by Elizabeth V. Mooney
[excerpt]
Companies Look to the Skies for New Coverage Solutions
...AeroVironment and its SkyTower unit are not alone in looking to the upper atmosphere as a venue for provision of improved terrestrial wireless communications. In fact, Space Data Corp., Chandler, Ariz., could beat them out of the commercial starting gate.
Space Data plans to attach disposable transmitters to the 70 balloons the National Weather Service has launched twice daily for the past 60 years to collect temperature, humidity and wind data as they hover 100,000 feet above ground.
By next spring, the company plans commercial launch of text messaging service in Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma, and it intends to provide nationwide coverage by the end of next year. If Space Data obtains the funding necessary to add cellular phone coverage, it hopes to provide this service by the end of 2004.
"The Space Data network will not only fill in urban coverage holes but also extend ubiquitous coverage into previously uncovered rural areas," said Gerald Knoblach, chairman and chief executive officer, in written testimony submitted to the Senate Indian Affairs and Commerce, Science and Transportation committees. The committees held a joint hearing in May to explore problems of insufficient telecommunications on American Indian tribal lands.
Charles Tracy, vice president for flight operations at Space Data, said the company has reached agreements with four Indian tribes to extend telecommunications to their territories. FCC rules allow companies that provide this service to get bidding credits usable in wireless spectrum auctions. In November, Space Data won rights to use a designated frequency of 1.4 megahertz in an FCC auction.
The long-term goal of Space Data is to have its "SkySite Network" serve as a carrier's carrier that works with existing terrestrial operators to ensure ubiquitous coverage, Tracy said.