Download news, music via Satellite Radio

Vishnu K. Mahmud, Contributor, Jakarta

Internet usage has become a very common way to exchange information in the world today. It is supposed to be the all- encompassing solution to quickly "wire" Indonesia into the global World Wide Web, compared to the "traditional" method of laying cables or using expensive telephone lines.

Unfortunately, we are still far from the popular wireless solutions that are currently available elsewhere. But now downloading information will become easier by using the WorldSpace Satellite Radio (www.worldspace.com).

Originally designed to deliver direct audio broadcasts via satellite to stop the spread of AIDS in Africa, WorldSpace aims to educate the masses with their news, entertainment content and instructive programs.

The company will be launching their new Direct Media Service (DMS) for Indonesia in early November, providing their subscribers with Internet content via satellite direct to their computers.

Thanks to the courtesy of Mr. Thomas Soetjipto of WorldSpace, I was given a practical demonstration of the DMS system. A Digital Data Adapter (DDA) connects the data port of a WorldSpace Radio receiver to a (desktop or notebook) computer via the Universal Serial Bus (USB) port.

Subscribers to the service can then download information at the rate of 128 kilobits per second straight to their hard drives. They will be able to browse the "copy" of the website straight from their PCs without the need of connecting to the internet.

The DDA, along with the monthly subscription cost, will be reasonably priced (approximately US$20 for the device and about $5 per month for the subscription) to attract a wide range of users.

With the included software, subscribers will be able to select which content they want to download as well as set how much space on their hard disk they wish to use. The content will be filled with music samples, the latest movie trailers, hundreds of photos and news stories so the space can add up.

WorldSpace recommends a minimum of 300 megabytes hard disk space but it would be wise to have more. With the DDA software, you can also manage your space by automatically deleting information more then a day old.

WorldSpace currently has a list of multimedia content partners, which include Hollywood Online, the British Medical Journal and the Encyclopedia Britannica to name a few. The company also plans to sign some popular local content within the next few weeks so the list will definitely get longer as more partners sign up.

For each different content/news source is a corresponding schedule for downloads. For example, to download Hollywood Online your computer must be on and set to receive at 4:34 p.m.. Some sites update hourly so the computer will need to receive the same site at other times in order to display the latest news.

Ideally, subscribers can leave their computer on during the day so it can download all their chosen content so they can browse at night or vice versa.

The good thing about using DMS is the lack of communication charges, be it from time sensitive (telephone charges) to bandwidth costs (DSL's per megabyte download fees). For the cost of a reasonable monthly subscription, users will be able to download the informational equivalent of a CD (about 650 megabytes) per day.

You can download the information on a beach in Bali to the hills in Hanoi; anywhere within WorldSpace's coverage area, which is practically most of Asia. Of course, being a satellite service, you will need to install a small antenna outdoors or point the receiver's built in dish to the heavens.

It should be noted that WorldSpace's DMS is not a broadband solution for the third world, nor is it a competitor to the local Internet Service Providers (ISP). This satellite multimedia service is a one way broadcast, and from designated partners of WorldSpace.

This service is meant to complement the internet in areas where phone charges or internet fees are excessively high. One can use WorldSpace to download news and other content and employ the internet to send and receive e-mail, chat and research more information.

What are the benefits of the Direct Media Service? Apart from the lower per download costs for content, DMS is ideal for Distance Education.

WorldSpace has recently signed a contract with the University of Bangalore, India to propagate quality education via satellite. Therefore, students can access their course materials via DMS thereby cutting down on expensive internet connection costs. They could also listen to lectures via the radio.

In addition, with the direct media service, private companies can securely broadcast information to their affiliate offices using WorldSpace receivers.

One should not forget that the WorldSpace Radio receives crystal clear radio broadcasts with quality music and professional broadcasters such as CNN, BBC and Bloomberg.

The music stations available will include Jazz, Classical Music, Country & Western and Pop tunes for a whole range of music lovers. Some of the receivers are robust enough to be installed in cars for non-stop quality music (or Larry King) for a Jakarta to Surabaya run (and beyond).

WorldSpace wanted to help bridge the digital divide. They believe that news and education can be distributed efficiently by radio more then any other medium. And giving everyone the same information and education would level the playing field and help cultivate the underdeveloped regions in Africa and Asia. With relatively low cost radio receivers and tons of content, that dream can be achieved.

Inbox: Want to learn more about WorldSpace and their Direct Media Service? They will be at the Broadcast and Multimedia Expo held at the Jakarta Convention Center from Nov. 8 to Nov. 12.