Global satellite communications systems: Answering Alaska's call for information.

• Author: Williams, Colleen M.

Wireless communications are a necessity in many parts of the Great Land. When land lines just won't or can't do the job, satellite systems are answering Alaska's business calls in the wild.

A satellite is a specialized wireless receiver/transmitter that is taken to space and orbits the Earth. Satellites are used for monitoring and forecasting weather conditions, broadcasting television signals, relaying Internet communications and for utilizing the Global Positioning System.

The first artificial satellite was launched by the Soviet Union in the late 1950s. This pioneer satellite merely repeatedly transmitted a Morse code signal. Today's satellites receive and retransmit thousands of signals all at the same time. The signals received range from uncomplicated numerical data to highly technical television broadcast programming.

There are three basic types of satellites. A geostationary satellite is one that orbits the Earth directly over the equator. At an altitude of approximately 22,000 miles, the geostationary satellite makes one complete trip around the Earth every 24 hours.

A low-Earth-orbit satellite system uses many satellites. Each of these satellites flies in a circular orbit, just a few hundred miles above the Earth's surface. The satellites' orbits take them close to the geographic poles. Each of these rotations takes approximately anywhere from 1 1/2 to three hours.

The primary distinction between low-Earth-orbit, or LEO, systems and geostationary satellites is that the LEO system's wireless receiver/transmitters are moving. The geostationary satellites wireless receiver/transmitters are fixed. Also, the LEO's transponders are in space, unlike those of the geostationary satellites, which are on the Earth.

The third type of satellites just revolve around the Earth in egg-shaped orbits. These satellites are most often used by amateur radio operators. They require directional antennas that must be continually changed to follow the satellite's path.

Here's a look at a few satellite applications and wireless service providers serving Alaska:

STRATOS MOBILE NETWORKS

Stratos is a leading provider of the only truly global satellite phone system available today, Iridium. When asked about business solutions, Chris Mott, regional account manager of Stratos Mobile Networks, stated, "Stratos offers all global satellite business solutions available today, along with a healthy mix of value-added services. Stratos is the second-largest Inmarsat provider and the largest Iridium provider in the world. In addition, we offer MSAT (North American Regional Service), Globalstar, VSAT, and value-added services such as StratosNet, a free Internet service for Stratos customers and StratosConnect, for inexpensive call routing for calls to satellite phones."

One of Stratos' most popular value-added...