Association recommends new telecom system<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Satellite Association (Assi)
\nrecommends the implementation of a high altitude platform system
\n(HAPS) for Indonesia's telecommunications network as an
\nalternative to higher cost satellites, a senior executive said.<\/p>\n
Chairman of the association's national HAPS working group
\nKrishnahadi S. Pribadi said that implementing a HAPS system could
\ncost as low as one tenth of other telecommunications systems such
\nas cellular and satellite.<\/p>\n
HAPS is in the form of a helium-filled blimp which hovers at
\nthe height of between 5 kilometers to 20 kilometers from the
\nsurface of the earth. It can be made to carry devices for
\ntelecommunications, broadcast, navigation, and remote sensing
\npurposes.<\/p>\n
Krishnahadi said that HAPS was also cheaper to maintain
\nbecause, in contrast to the satellite, it did not need a rocket
\nlauncher to put it in orbit and that HAPS was easier to recover
\nfrom the atmosphere if it needed repairs or upgrading.<\/p>\n
\"The blimp's closer operational distance from the earth meant
\nthat radio waves do not take a long time to relay,\" he said in a
\nstatement.<\/p>\n
Telecommunications via satellite was considered a logical and
\neffective complement to both the cellular and fixed line
\ntelecommunications system for Indonesia's archipelagic geography.<\/p>\n
However, the cost of sending a satellite into orbit and to
\nmaintain it was costly and there was no guarantee it would
\noperate properly once in orbit.<\/p>\n
A HAPS system currently under research was the 200-meter-long
\nStratosphere aircraft that could hover at a height of between 18
\nkilometers to 20 kilometers, equipped with solar power cells to
\nact as a battery for the various devices installed aboard.<\/p>\n
Krishnahadi said the Stratosphere would be ready for
\ncommercial purposes in 2005.<\/p>\n
In the meantime Assi recommended the use of the Aerostat
\naircraft with an airborne relay communications (ARC) system as a
\nfirst step towards the more advanced Stratosphere, he said.<\/p>\n
\"The ARC technology, planned to be implemented in Indonesia
\nsometime this year or early next year, is produced by the United
\nState's Platform Wireless International in cooperation with
\nIndonesia's PT Automatrix Cipta Mandiri,\" Krishnahadi said.<\/p>\n
The Aerostat would hover at a height of 5,000 meters and is
\nequipped with telecommunications transponders which could cover
\nan area of 38,000 square kilometers, he said, adding that to
\ncover the same width a cellular system would need more than 400
\nbase transceiver stations (BTS) with more than $300 million in
\ninvestment.<\/p>\n
\"Investment for the ARC system is only about $30 million,\"
\nKrishnahadi said, adding that each Aerostat aircraft was able to
\nservice a maximum of 500,000 customers.<\/p>\n
The system was designed to be compatible with common cellular
\ntechnologies such as the DCS-1800, CDMA, TDMA, GPRS, and third-
\ngeneration protocols, and is easily upgraded, he said.<\/p>\n
\"The ARC's main use would be for fixed-cellular systems and
\nInternet in rural areas and is hoped to boost the development of
\ntelecommunications and Internet outlets in those regions,\"
\nKrishnahadi said.<\/p>\n
In September this year, Assi plans to organize an
\ninternational workshop on HAPS which would further explore its
\nbenefits in Indonesia.(tnt)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/association-recommends-new-telecom-system-1447893297",
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