DF, that's a good analogy, though I prefer a conic section to a pyramid for aesthetic and political reasons. A pyramid has an air of pharoahs and other born-to-rule hierarchical power freaks. Also, sharp edges which can fray.
A conic section however is more in tune with the natural world of mathematics from whence the algorithms derive for cellphone operation and conducive with the world of wave functions in which we exist. A cynic would of course point out that a conic section is also the form of a dunce's hat, but I'm sure nobody here would be so churlish as to point that out. I reckon a cone is lovely and smooth, and aptly descriptive. As a counterpoint to the dunce's hat, note that Madonna in her feminine warrior, metal clad moments selected conic sections as sartorial apparatus for her baby feeding equipment. I reckon Madonna knew what's up. Hooray for cones.
Yeah, and what do you put ice-cream in?
Dwight, easy enough to fit aerials to carry signals from the inside of planes to the outside.
Limtex, passengers will require service. Airlines that don't make service available will have to run service for people without phones - I don't fancy their chances once numbers build because those with the phones are at the top of the cone [or the bottom if it's icecream] and they are the most profitable passengers buying the expensive tickets. Also, having a phone to call out is not enough. People want to be contacted, so individual phones are essential.
I agree DF, that Iridium is the premier service, depending of course on call quality and handset form factor [to use the jargon]. At least for the first constellations and certainly until Globalstar has got good gateway coverage. We need a customer count to see whether there are enough Sultans of Brunei and Bill Gates to support the capital cost = the tip of a cone gets very small.
Maurice |
