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Press Release |
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Sky Station International
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FCC CREATES NEW FREQUENCY
ALLOCATION FOR STRATOSPHERIC INTERNET SERVICE Washington, D.C., May 6, 1997: Sky Station International, Inc., ("SSI"), the world leader in stratospheric telecommunications, announced today that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) had approved use of its technology in the 47 GHz frequency band. Stratospheric telecommunications technology uses "Sky Stations™" located 21 kilometers above the earth to provide millions of wireless high-speed Internet links directly to consumer laptop and desktop computers. The FCC decision is the first governmental approval ever given for stratospheric telecommunication service. "We are absolutely elated that the FCC shares our enthusiasm about the unique benefits of stratospheric communications," said Alexander P. Haig, President and Chief Operating Officer of SSI. "This decision marks the beginning of a new age of high speed Internet service directly to personal and portable multimedia devices, wherever they may be." The Sky Station system provides wireless T1/E1 (2 Mbps uplink/10 Mbps downlink) links directly to laptop and personal computers. This kind of high speed Internet service may be used for portable videophone and Web TV applications. SSI is able to accomplish its personal T1/E1 service because of the ultra-high channel capacity available in metropolitan areas only from a stratospheric altitude. The FCC noted that its decision enables the offering of "services utilizing networks of geostationary stratospheric platforms" and fosters "the development of new communications services that will benefit American consumers." The Sky Station user terminals will cost about US$100 and a PCMCIA card can be used to upgrade existing laptop computers to become high speed Internet terminals. The Sky Station system is being built by an international consortium of companies including Finmeccanica S.p.A. Alenia Aerospace of Italy, Thomson-CSF Communications of France, Scaled Composites Inc. of the United States, Lindstrand Balloons Ltd. of the United Kingdom and Spar Aerospace of Canada. The system is scheduled to commence service in the year 2000.
For further information please contact: Artemis Scantalides, Manager, Corporate Communications |
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