Here are some resources for a SatelliteTruck:

According to Gary Arlen, start-ups WildBlue and Astrolink have imploded. [http://www.StarBand.com StarBand] (despite its relationship with [http://www.EchoStar.com EchoStar]) has plateaued at about 40,000 customers and Hughes has 120,000 customer base with [http://www.DirecWay.com DirecWay]. [http://www.Teledesic.com Teledesic] even with money from Bill Gates and Craig McCaw look dead. [http://www.skyreport.com/news_n.htm Sky Report] has the weekly news.

[http://www.wirelessnewsfactor.com/perl/section/gps/ Current Market leaders] [http://www.EchoStar.com EchoStar] and [http://www.DirecPC.com DirecPC] are seeking approval for a $26 billion merger. [http://www.wirelessnewsfactor.com/perl/story/16234.html Consumer satellite internet providers charge about $70 a month] for unlimited service, but the user also must pay between $200 and $400 for installation. RV installations have been prohibitied although some third parties who use [http://www.EchoStar.com EchoStar] and [http://www.DirecPC.com DirecPC] avoid interference using specially approved mobile dishes provided by companies like [http://www.motosat.com/twoway_001.htm Motosat] but they cost about $5,000. [http://www.wirelessnewsfactor.com/perl/story/15010.html WorldCom uses DirectWay for business]. DirecPC uses [http://www.ses-americom.com/satellites/amc-4.html the Ku-band, GE 4/AMC-4].

3G service is available from [http://www.voicestream.com Voicestream] [http://www.Verizonwireless.com Verizon Wireless], [http://www.attws.com AT&T Wireless], [http://www.sprintpcs.com SprintPCS], [http://www.Nextel.com Nextel] and others. It has one big drawback - cost. "Webcasting" at 40-60Kbps for 2 hours could run over $100 if my calculations are correct.

The ideal solution would be [http://www.monetmobile.com/ Monet Mobile] out of Seattle. They offer 1XEV-DO (Data-Only cellular). This $50/month "wireless DSL" uses cellular for mobile, high-speed backbone connections. Unfortunately cellular operators make more money from using their frequencies for voice because less time and data is required. Still, 1XEV-DO (or 3XEVDV with three channels of data/voice) would be the ideal. Cost might be about $50/hr for 1Mbps up and down providing near "broadcast quality" using RealVideo 9, teleconferencing and cellular. A "wearcam" could be nearly autonomous with this system using an [http://www.oqo.com/ OQO's shirt-pocket computer], a headset and [http://pro.jvc.com/prof/Attributes/features.jsp?model_id=MDL101332 a professional DV cam with streaming MPEG-4 output].

Satellite phones are slow and expensive. Providers include[http://www.teledesic.com/tech/tech.htm Teledesic], [http://www.ico.com/system/index.htm ICO], [http://www.globestar.com Globestar] and [http://www.Iridium.com/ Iridium]. But they cost $1.50/minute or more and speed is generally limited to a max of 19Kbps. ICO and Teledesic would be faster but cost is still the primary issue if it were used more than 30 minutes a month ($100 or so).

Low-cost, consumer satellite internet is available for $50-$100/month. Here are some mobile, 2-way satellite dishes that could be used on a van:

Major satellite providers include:

Small users generally order satellite equipment from packagers. They include companies like:

Spot beams in the Ka band (20/30 Ghz) promise to lower cost and increase speed because the same frequency can be re-used over broad geography. SES has been a leader in European spot beams at 30 Ghz. A new satellite at 105.5° West, in 2004, will enable them to provide high-speed broadband connections to U.S. residences.

AMERICOM's Operating Fleet Line-up

These operating spacecraft, all within a few years of retirement, will retain their current designations: GSTAR 4 at 105 degrees W; Satcom C1 at 79 degrees W; Satcom C3 at 131 degrees W; Satcom C4 at 135 degrees W; Satcom K2 at 81 degrees W; Spacenet 4 at 172 degrees E; TDRS-5 at 174.3 degrees East; TDRS-6 at 47 degrees W and 515 at 37.7 degrees W.

[http://www.udcast.com/ UDcast] a French technology firm, wants to deliver television over IP. Their hybrid solution is currently optimized for European DVB, but the company claims that the underlying UDLR technology can provide wireless connectivity by satellite to mobile or nomadic users.

Satellite internet webcasting was tried by www.iBEAM-Chapter11.com, Williams Communications and www.webcasts.com.

The main consumer-level ($50-$100/month) 2-way satellite internet providers are [http://www.earthlink.net/broadband/satellite/ DirecPC] and [http://www.Starband.com/ Starband]. [http://www.Echostar.com/ Echostar] wants to merge both and is holding satellite internet access ransom. Another issue is mobile access. Both Hughes and Echostar say they can't do access from RVs although 3rd parties have been advertising just that. The most reliable 2-way satellite service is through a provider like [http://www.tachyon.net Tachyon] but their portable dishes can cost $5,000 and data rates are costly. The new generation of 20/30 Ghz satellites, when launched in 6-12 months may make mobile internet access cheap, fast and easy but it remains to be seen.

More information is available at [http://industryclick.com/magazine.asp?magazineid=5&siteid=3 Satellite Broadband Magazine].

[http://www.earthlink.net/broadband/satellite/ DirecPC] and [http://www.Starband.com/ Starband] use the Ku (14Ghz) band while [http://www.wildblue.com Wild Blue] plans to have 2-way satellite uplinks for $70/month using the Ka band (20/30Ghz) with spot beams. [http://www.hns.com/direcway/for_small_business/business_edition/intro.htm Hughes DirectWay] (12Ghz) and [http://www.hughes.com/home/transition/states.xml Spaceways] (20 Ghz) may have the most potential. Spaceways is likely to have 384K-6M/up/down in Ka by 2003. Other Ka band satellites that may come online in the next year or so include [http://www.geamericom.com/ GE Star](5) with 384K-40M/up/down in Ka and [http://www.netsatx.net/ NetSat] with 384K-1.5M/up/down in Ka with .3meter dish by 2003.

Satellite carriers like [http://www.cyberstar.com/ Loral's CyberStar] skip most of the congestion of the terrestial internet for Enterprise users and ISPs. [http://www.cyberstar.com/products/products.cfm?pageID=clearstreamlive Loral's ClearStream WebCast] is available in packages of 100, 500, 1000 and 2000 simultaneous live users at a variety of data rates including 56 Kbps, 100 Kbps and 300 Kbps.

Other satellite carriers include:

The [http://www.motosat.com/twoway_001.htm two-way Motosat dish] (below, left) automatically finds the DirectWay consumer satellite service ($70-$90/mo) on the road and the [http://www.Swe-dish.com/ Swe-dish portable dish] can be carried nearly anywhere ($5,000) and uses commercial satellites like G-Star. The [http://www.mobileuniverse.com/html/satellite/satellitef.html Nera satellite phone] (right, $8-12,000) can be packed in a briefcase but costs $7.50/min for 64Kbps.

http://www.universitypark.org/hope/twowaysatdish.jpg http://www.sdots.com/wireless/nerasatphone.jpg

Spot beams in 2003 will lower cost and increase speed. [http://www.wildblue.com Wild Blue] and [http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0111/18bssspaceway/ SpaceWay] [http://www.house.gov/smbiz/hearings/107th/2001/010524/cook.html expect to serve 1 million businesses] with satellite broadband. They will provide users with up to 30 Mbps down and uplink rates ranging from 512 Kbps for individual users, to tens of Mbps for a business or major hub. [http://www.wildblue.com/ WildBlue] will offer similar Ka band services; consumer-level service with 400K up and 3 Mbps down for $50-$100/month and 30Mbps for $1-2,000/month. Spaceway also provides [http://www.convergedigest.com/satellite/archive/010918boeing.htm full-mesh connectivity], allowing users to communicate on a single-hop, peer-to-peer basis for collaborative interaction. [http://www.mentat.com/pr/sxgv3-102601.html Multicasting] could share a satellite channel nationwide.

The FCC authorize 11 companies to operate Ka-band satellites at a total of 34 orbit locations in geosynch space in 2001. Perhaps 2-3 systems will actually be build. The Ka band systems include:

Satellite backbones have latency issues but sharing 5 Mbps downstream link that would cost $200/month might be shared by 100 people. That lowers the cost to $2/month. "Unplugged expeditions" might be infrequent. The capacity would normally be shared. It would also be used for emergency backup. Cost sharing with other groups (like hams) might also be feasible.

Small, two-way VSATs are available from [http://www.tachyon.net/ Tachyon], [http://www.landseasystems.com/land3080a.htm LandSea],[http://www.motosat.com/twoway_001.htm Motosat], and [http://www.radiotvnet.com/featured.asp Swe-dish]. If 500 people share a $2000/month satellite connection with [http://www.hughes-escorts.com/mediaroom/HNSEarnsAward.htm 3 Mbps up and 30 Mbps down] cost per user would be $4/month. Premium entertainment may be offered by [http://www.mp4.com/ MP-4] sites.

A wireless link from the Van to OHSU or the KGON tower could provide a high-speed MAN in lieu of remote, high-speed satellite or 3G access. A short leased line from OHSU to the Pittock Building might be utilized. The unlicensed 2.4 or 5 GHz band could supply a 22-54 Mbps backbone. A van with a 2-way dish could also be semi-permanently assigned as a hilltop "Teleport" for PersonalTelco or provide emergency back-up.

[http://www.4cs.net/ Winfield Wireless] on the KGON tower may supply the ideal solution for "wireless DSL" using 802.11b for the backhaul. A 20db gain dish on a 20 foot pneumantic tower in the van could probably hit the KGON tower from most of the metro region.

Another 2.4 Ghz system might use [http://www.navini.com/ Navini's CDMA system]. They have teamed with Intel and use another 2.4Ghz standard (CDMA) for the non-line of sight backbone and link to Intel's 802.11 wireless access points. A wireless ISP in a van might consist of [http://www.tachyon.net Tachyon's satellite link] connected to a [http://www.navini.com/ Navini 2.4Ghz base station] in the van. The pneumatic tower supplies 2.4Ghz backhaul with CDMA to remote CPEs using multiple Navini/Intel Access Points. The non line of sight nature of the Navini solution and the mobility of the van might also provide emergency back-up. Bureaucratic "command centers" may cost ten times more. An independently operated "cloud van" could be fast and flexible.

A shared 2-way dish located at OHSU (about 1000 feet above sea level) could be accessed via [http://www.wmux.com/company/news/2001/091001Multipoint.html 5.8 GHz unlicensed bridge] that would be mounted on the van.[http://www.wmux.com/company/news/2002/011602Proxim.html Western Wireless], which merged with [http://www.proxim.com/ Proxim], offers a wireless solution. Their [http://www.wmux.com/company/news/2001/091001Multipoint.html Tsunami Multipoint] can support 6,000 subscribers per cell site using the 5.8 GHz frequency band at 60 Mbits/second. It complies with the emerging IEEE 802.16 standard for broadband wireless access. This wireless backbone solution delivers connectivity for nodes on roof-tops, utility poles or a van. A 60 Mbps base station (at OHSU for example), costs $10,000 while the 60 Mbps receiver unit (in the Van for example), costs about $2,000.

The community might also be served from this 60Mbps wireless backbone.

Dual-channel access points that are available include the [http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/cc/pd/witc/ao1200ap/prodlit/casap_ds.htm Cisco Aironet 1200] ($1500), [http://www.dlink.com/products/DigitalHome/Wireless/ D-Link's Air Pro DWL-6000AP] ($499) and [http://www.intel.com/network/connectivity/products/ Intel's 5 Gig products]. Dual-mode access points may provide easier bridging; rooftop nodes might be interconnected via the 5Ghz backbone while supplying 2.4Ghz locally.

Combining multiple access points into a seamless, local-area roaming network is made easier with[http://www.orinocowireless.com/template.html?section=m58&envelope=94 ORiNOCO's AP-2000] Access Point and their [http://www.orinocowireless.com/template.html?section=m60&page=2085&envelope=96 AS-2000 Access Server] or the [http://www.proxim.com/products/all/harmony/7560/index.html Proxim Controller] ($1,495) with their [http://www.proxim.com/products/all/harmony/8570/index.html Proxim 802.11A Access Points]. So The Van could be dispatched to an area of interest and 3-4 remote access points would provide continuous connection in the area. The van supplies either a MAN link to OHSU or a direct to satellite link.

[http://forms.real.com/rnforms/products/tools/producerpreview9/index.html Real's Producer 9 Preview] is the latest. [http://www.realnetworks.com/company/press/releases/2002/rv9.html RealVideo 9] is said to provide 30% bandwidth savings over RealVideo 8 at all quality levels. Pocket PCs have the [http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/download/default.asp Microsoft MediaPlayer] built-in, of course, but Real also has [http://www.realnetworks.com/resources/howto/audio_video/video_file_pocketpc_stream.html a player for Pocket PCs].[http://www.realnetworks.com/company/press/releases/2001/mpeg4.html RealSystems now includes MPEG-4 support].[http://www.realnetworks.com/solutions/leadership/mpeg.html Real's MPEG-4 page] explains their [http://www.envivio.com/solutions/ess/ server] and [http://www.envivio.com/solutions/etv/etv.html client-side] plug-ins using [http://www.envivio.com/ Envivio MPEG-4] and others. [http://dv.com/features/archive.jhtml;jsessionid=YVTIEHXYOFDYQQSNDBGCFFA Constructing a 40 hr/wk streamcast] might not be such an outrageous idea. [http://www.magisnetworks.com/ Magis Networks] uses a IEEE 802.11a-compliant Air5 wireless LAN chip which uses proprietary physical and media-access-control to deliver 40 Mbits/second and up to [http://www.eetimes.com/story/OEG20020115S0026 five standard-definition digital TV channels simultaneously].

Plug a [http://www.infosync.no/show.php?id=1717 Bluetooth earpiece] in your ear and a stick a consumer-grade USB camera or a camcorder into a shirt-pocket size [http://www.oqo.com OQO PDA with a 1 Ghz Transmeta running XP] for live NetMeetings or streamcasting anywhere. [http://www.intel.com/home/scenes/news/mobile_event.htm?pl_code=MIHC105C1830P83893B83902S0&cprn30294=1985413080 Intel's Pentium IV-M] will have similar capability. Walk and webcast. [http://news.sel.sony.com/pressrelease/1749 Sony's CCD-TRV608 camcorder streams live video over USB] while [http://www.realnetworks.com/products/ Producer], [http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/wm7/encoder.asp Media Encoder], [http://www.on2.com/ On2] or [http://www.sorenson.com/content.php?cats=2/6&nav=2 Sorenson Broadcaster] could feed a broadcast-quality MPEG-4 signal to a [http://www.publicsource.apple.com/projects/streaming/ Darwin Open Source Server] colo'ed at [http://www.easystreet.com Easy Street].

Wireless backbone could be provided with 1XRTT cellular using a [http://www.socketcom.com Socket connector] ($100) or [http://www.sierrawireless.com/news/Jan-28-02.html Sierra Aircard] ($300). For 1Mbps upstream, a 802.11a card with a 802.16 dish on a van ($500) or [http://www.navini.com Navini's CDMA backhaul] ($300) might do the trick.

Like the [http://www.jasonproject.org Jason Project]. Only cheaper.

[http://www.freespeech.org/ Free Speech TV] provides an alternative to mainstream TV broadcasts. [http://portland.indymedia.org/ Portland.Indymedia] uses [http://www.cat.org.au/main.html Community Activist Technology]. [http://seattlewireless.net/?SummitJanuary2002Wrapup FreeNetworks hosted the January 2002 Summit] and [http://seattlewireless.net/seattlesummitarchive.ram has it on video]. [http://www.pridevisiontv.com/ PrideVision] is out of the box.

Sycophant news directors and bean counting executives will be history when talent-driven networks take control. Twenty-first century storytellers will obiterate group ownership and create new rules. [http://play.rbn.com/?livecon/kcrw-cp/demand/ta/ta980321Death_to_Wacky.ra Wi-Fi is Fast, Cheap and Out of Control]. Two words: [http://www.centuryproductions.com Comedy Roadtrip].

- SamChurchill

[CategoryVendor]