New satellite technology: Ka Band

rolf

Ka-band, a new bidirectionnal satellite technology will be launched commercially this summer.

Main features of this new technology are:
1-much cheaper bandwidth and equipment
2-considerably smaller receiver (less than 1m)
3-better latency

This page can give you some more info:
http://www.vsatus.com/page13.htm

Now it would be nice if we could sneak some of these to lebanon and install them ourselves. The installation is a problem though, it is supposed to be carried out only by certified professionals.

mahdoum

I hope they'll bring them to Lebanon, cause I don't want to go there and have slow internet or at least slower then here.

rolf

Actually you need a permit import and install bidiretionnal satellite equipment. But this new equipment is small and cheap. So you may be able to put it in your luggage and it wont be a huge loss if they find it and confiscate it.

mahdoum

hehe :P I'll just send it with my shipment (by trucks) lol

rolf

The internet is really becoming impressive.
With the new "routing in the sky" technologies, the satellites are also acting as routers, which means they decide where to send receved internet traffic, relaying it to another satellite or to the correct terrestrial station.
Add to that the new cellular broadband technologies...
There wont be a corner in the world that isnt covered by broadband internet, be it satellite, cellular or terrestrial.
And with all the different (redundant) internet routes in the sky and on the ground, the network has succeded in implementing one of its desigh goals, which is to withstand a nuclear war!

mahdoum

check out internet2 i think the site is http://www.internet2.edu/ supposedly you can download a movie (The matrix) in around 15secs that is FAST internet + a university has succesfully created 1gig downloading :D

rolf

thanks for the link, mahdoum.
I'd like to add this question and answer about internet2:
http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/technology/2005-04-13-qa-internet2_x.htm

mahdoum

yeah I read that, it's in our favour (if we had it) cause the RIAA can't stick their nose into it lol