p2p news / p2pnet: Broadband in the sky is practical, a UK experiment has confirmed.

“Trials using a 12,000 cubic metre balloon, flying at an altitude of around 24 kilometres for nine hours, have proved it can successfully operate a data rate link of 11Mbps,” says the BBC.

“Proving the ability to operate a high data rate link from a moving stratospheric balloon is a critical step in moving towards the longer term aim of providing data rates of 120Mbps,” the story has principal scientific officer Dr David Grace, saying.

The high-flying broadband project has been put together by the Capanina research consortium, led by the University of York.

“The technology will provide broadband services which are 200 times faster than current services,” it said earlier in the year. “Researchers ran the trials, using a tethered balloon at a former RAF airfield at Pershore, Wiltshire, to show that it is possible to use mm-wave band (28/31GHz) and very high data-rate optical communication systems from aerial platforms.

“High rate data systems allow more information to be moved in less time, making downloading a file, movie, photographs and music much faster.”

Capanina partner SkyLINC set up a tethered aerial platform and made several preliminary radio frequency tests to and from the balloon, says the research web site.

“BTExact (part of BT) were also able to use the platform to trial several broadband applications, such as video on demand and high-speed Internet.

“To conclude the tests, DLR, a German-based partner, carried out some critical optical communication tracking tests. Optical techniques offer very high data-rate communications and are being developed to provide links between two aerial platforms, or between an aerial platform and a ground station.”

Capanina says it plans to deliver wireless broadband at speeds of up to 120Mbits/second from aerial platforms such that rural, suburban and moving users can have cost-effective broadband communications, the ultimate aim being to have a number of the platforms in the stratosphere at altitudes of around 20km with one platform serving a region of approximately 60km.

“Spurred on by the successes further trials using higher altitude platforms are planned involving CGS from Italy and NICT from Japan,” says Capanina.

Trials will continue in Japan next year, adds the BBC.

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See:-
BBC - Broadband net goes stratospheric, October 19, 2005
Capanina - Broadband trials’ high-flying success, January 31, 2005

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