March 05, 2001 12:22
The Sky's the Limit for New Wireless Communications
Airships
Floating Three Miles Above Ground, Platforms Wireless International's New Airborne Relay
Communications Systems Proves to Bring Affordable and Flexible Wireless Voice & Data
to Rural Markets
SAN DIEGO, March 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Floating like a massive World War II barrage balloon
with an underbelly bulge large enough to hold nearly 1500-pounds worth of antennas and
sophisticated communications hardware, the new Airborne Relay Communications (ARC
System) designed and developed by Platforms Wireless International (OTC: PLFM) is
poised to be the future communications infrastructure platform for cellular and wireless data
-- at least according to results from today's first-ever commercial demonstration in San
Diego.
This demonstration today proved that the ARC System payload is fully capable of handling
up to 500,000 cellular subscribers and supporting the leading wireless protocols: TDMA,
CDMA and GSM, thus making the ARC System ready for worldwide deployment.
"Providing cellular and wireless Internet service to rural areas is a costly proposition for
telecommunications companies," said William C. Martin, chairman and CEO of Platforms
Wireless Intl. "Until now, the options were limited to either satellite systems or multiple
fixed ground tower antenna structures, both of which are extremely costly and time
consuming to deploy. Today's commercial demonstration proves that a more flexible and
extremely cost-effective solution can be brought to new markets in a matter of months
instead of years."
Packed with multiple, 8-foot wide antennas and powerful communications technology
hardware, the ARC System is housed in a 150-foot long "Zeppelin-like" airship that is
tethered to a fixed ground control station. These airships, formally known as "Aerostats"
originate as airborne defense platforms for low-level RADAR use. Platforms Wireless
International is the first company to bring this military design into a commercial application.
At 15,000 feet, the ARC System's cellular coverage spans an area of approximately 140
miles in diameter -- three, for example can cover Boston to Washington D.C.
First commercial orders are expected to take place this year from foreign countries, such
as Brazil, that need to provide communications services to outlying regions that lack a fully
developed communications infrastructure. Because of the ARC System's flexibility, mobility
and speed of deployment, estimates are that cellular and wireless service can be provided
for approximately half the cost of any ground-based tower infrastructure.
Martin concludes, "In addition to providing rural coverage, the ARC System is an ideal
solution to augment existing cellular networks. Because of its mobility, quick deployment
and low-cost, the ARC System offers an elegant way for cellular providers to beef-up
coverage for situations, such as the Olympics or other events where thousands of
unexpected users need to be accommodated."
About Platforms International
Platforms International Corporation, headquartered in Los Angeles, is the developer and
marketer of the revolutionary wireless communications technology known as the Airborne
Relay Communications "ARC" System, and its family of Airborne, host infrastructures, the
Zero0Gravity AeroStructures(R). Management believes that these significant advances in
the field of Airborne wireless communications technology will provide an efficient,
cost-effective, all-broadband, voice and data communications alternative for augmenting,
replacing, and supplementing terrestrial wireline and cellular telecommunications
infrastructures, as well as high and low-earth orbiting satellites -- at a savings in both cost
and deployment time, as compared to conventional systems. Platforms can be found on the
Web, at: plfm.net .
SOURCE Platforms Wireless International
/CONTACT: Catherine Bergstrom of McKie Headstrom PR, 408-942-0133,
ext. 12, or catherine@mhpr.com, for Platforms Wireless International; or
investors, Brad Meyer or Harvey Goralnick of FOCUS Partners LLC, 212-752-9445,
or plfm@focuspartners.com, for Platforms Wireless International/
/Web site: plfm.net
(PLFM) |
