XPost: sci.space.moderated, sci.space.station, sci.space.tech   
   From: gherbert@gw.retro.com   
      
   Paul F. Dietz  wrote:   
   >Marc 182 wrote:   
   >> Multi-jump communications would create unacceptable delay in a voice   
   >> conversation due to the speed of light and the distance to the   
   >> satellites. Even a single jump causes a noticeable and annoying delay.   
   >> That's why trans-Atlantic/Pacific cables remain popular.   
   >   
   >Cables are popular because they're *cheaper* than satellites   
   >(per unit of delivered bandwidth) what with the incredible advances   
   >in fiber optics.   
      
   Yeah.  In general, it's always been true that what could be   
   put on a landline was put on a landline, telecommunications-wise.   
   The old transoceanic cables didn't have the performance to do   
   high bandwidth multichannel voice.  Comsats took off as the   
   first good option for transmitting multiple voice channels   
   across oceans.  They then caught on doing TV broadcast,   
   though that had been a feature on the first experimental   
   comsat that flew.   
      
   Both wire cable and fiber optic cables undersea started   
   to compete with comsats and are taking increasing quantities   
   of the market there.  They're a lot cheaper now than   
   satellites are, for major concentrations of traffic.   
   And as soon as the fiber optic cables were proved out,   
   the satellite market for transoceanic voice started to   
   die out slowly.  But not entirely.  There aren't enough   
   cables in a lot of places, and both the cables and the   
   satellites break sometimes, so they end up backing each   
   other up to a large degree.   
      
   Orbital relay works better for broadcast purposes and   
   for hitting lots of little islands out in an ocean.   
   And always will.   
      
      
   -george william herbert   
   gherbert@retro.com   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
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