LMDS is one of the premier technologies that will enable access hundreds of times faster than cable modems or telephone lines while providing flexibility that wireline technologies cannot. Cable, fiber, and phone lines will not reach into cars, planes, trains, or even onto Virginia Tech's Drillfield. A great deal of work remains to be done to make such antennas smaller than the portable appliances, and some researchers are more confident than others. Martin points out that antennas are already becoming smaller and handheld computers can receive a great deal of information, such as e-mail. While LMDS has great promise, it also has several challenges, Morgan says.
Line of sight is essential for transmission.
Signals can fade during heavy rain. The broadcast antenna towers have a short range, just one to six miles, which means more of them have to be installed. Finally, the financial risks are high for a company undertaking a commercial service. The university won't be venturing into the telecommunications business, says Virginia Tech President Paul Torgersen. Instead it will work with industry partners to use the spectrum it has acquired for developing and testing appropriate technologies.