"Rumor Control" -- Two-Way Satellites & More

[Mark Sedenquist]

Dashboarding Office equipment, new protocols and cutting-edge wireless technology. Share some secrets!

[Ed Bramlett]

9.6KB is to slow for any reasonable use of the internet or file transfer. What advances can we expect in speed when wireless? So far it seems to me that all services offer only basic e-mail which falls far short of what is going to be expected in e-commerece. Is the answer in the handheld tech, or in the providers? Which will come first? As a user, my investment must center on the useable tech. I can buy and if I buy to meet today's standards how quickly will I have to update? This is now a real consideration in the cost of doing business for me.

Is two-way satellite going to be a global reality?

comments?

[Mark Sedenquist]

ED: 9.6KB is to slow for any reasonable use of the internet or file transfer.

RW: In regards to the 9.6K speed, since you are based in Southern California area you have access to one of the "next generation" protocols. GSM or CDMA that currently provide a two-way thru-put of 14.4Kbps, (these services are marketed as being 19.2Kbps but top-speed is closer to 14.4). At&T is currently running some promotions.

Ed: What advances can we expect in speed when wireless?

RW: The real speed will start to be a reality when the network providers solve the challenges of bring "broadband" to this environment. Best guess is that we are about four years from achieving the 300-400K speeds that are being bandied about now.

ED: So far it
seems to me that all services offer only basic e-mail which falls far short of what is going to be expected in e-commerece.

RW: One thing to keep in mind is that some wireless devices that can operate in LAN, (local area networks) already are doing business -- ordering food at drive-ins, factory devices, etc. The model that seems to be in-fogue is simply to make the LAN physical place larger by using more efficient transmitting sources, (satellites, cell etc)

Ed: Is the answer in the handheld tech, or in the providers? Which will come first? As a user, my investment must center on the useable tech. I can buy and if I
buy to meet today's standards how quickly will I have to update? This is now a real consideration in the cost of doing business for me.

RW: From my perspective the chicken in this example is the size of the pipeline.

ED:Is two-way satellite going to be a global reality?

RW: What application(s) are you thinking of?