“Fast, recyclable, sustainable,” said Gordon Landefeld, describing how Internet access via commercial satellite broadband could help lift the U.S. economy out of recession. “An economic stimulus means you get help today to create growth tomorrow. You can’t wait five years for that stimulus effect. We need it now.”

Skycasters’ American Recovery and Reinvestment Act expert educates communities and State governments on how satellite will lift the U.S. economy out the doldrums, through giving U.S. citizens quick Internet access to education, healthcare, and business opportunities. “Our commercial grade satellite backhauled WiMAX solution is fast to install, is recyclable with future technologies, and helps sustain local economies through both Internet backup and revenue creation opportunities. Fiber is the big pipe solution, but it’s also the most expensive solution and takes forever to deploy across plains, over mountains, and even through cities. Satellite backhauled WiMAX gives a community a relatively instant closure to the digital divide.”

Given site approval and funds availability, satellite backhauled WiMAX can be deployed in 90 days or less. We pour the concrete, erect the tower, point the dish, install the user modules on houses and businesses, and flip the switch. Residents and businesses get a choice of consumer grade or commercial grade plans. “Consumer grade means you pay less to get less,” Landefeld explains. “But it’s necessary to provide an entry option. Commercial grade means users get guaranteed minimum bandwidth. So like Skycasters’ normal satellite customers, the residents of unserved or underserved communities can reasonably expect that making a phone call or sending an email will work the first, second and hundredth time.” This unique broadband stimulus solution is recyclable because if fiber ever reaches the community, the fiber connection can be made directly to the WiMAX tower without having to make fiber connections at every house. And the satellite connection remains as the Internet “safety net.” If the fiber connection is broken by a storm or backhoe, the satellite backs you up.

Sustainability is also key to the solution. In addition to the possibilities to share revenue on the basic Internet access, Skycasters offers communities other revenue generating features such as telephone and radio exchanges, web and video on-demand caching servers, to enhance community services as well as to defray fire and police access, or provide subsidized access to disadvantaged residents. “It used to be that satellite was the expensive option. Not now,” said Gordon, Skycasters’ Marketing Analyst. “Advances in both the satellites themselves and in data compression have made satellite broadband the hottest Internet solution. IT executives everywhere get it. Satellite’s the way to go. We, the satellite industry, are now educating the NTIA, RUS, and communities across the United States about how these advances will make the difference between stimulating growth now, and prolonging the recession.”