Three aircraft will take turns, each flying an 8-hour shift. Users on the ground will mount a small external antenna outside their home or building. Tens or even hundreds of thousands of users can be serviced. Rates are not yet announced. The aircraft, called the Proteus, is being built in California by Scaled Composites, a subsidiary of Wyman-Gordon Company.
Extendible wings allow it to carry a range of payloads.
Unlike the telecommunication satellite systems now being developed, a HALO system can be launched for one city at a time. An advantage of a high-altitude plane over other wireless solutions is that there is almost no interference. Transmitters will be powered with 40 Kilowatts at the 28 and 38 GHz frequency bands. An antenna can receive a signal through trees and during rainstorms. Scaled Composites has a picture of the Proteus and more details.