Wild Blue will be the first of the faster Ka-band services, available probably next year. The next Ka system, Spaceway, should come along in 2003, while several other providers are also planning to enter the field - and make the job of choosing even more complicated. The answer is most definitely yes, perhaps. It should also be priced at the cable-modem level. But one thing to keep in mind, it s more susceptible to rain fade than Ku band.
Rain fade occurs during damp weather and can impede service.
Goodman explains that this happens with Ka frequency because its higher-powered signal is more likely to be absorbed by water. There are ways around this, he adds, but they could impact service. They could increase the power of the service to avoid rain fade but that in turn could slow down the system. In other words, increasing the power at one end could draw off power at the other. Still, whatever the problems, satellite broadband could be well suited to certain sectors of the market.