Mungo Soggot
THE puzzle surrounding possible South African involvment in a United States satellite phone system took another twist this week when it emerged the system might not be geared to work above South Africa.
A report compiled by the University of Colorado indicates the Ellipso satellite phone system will not function south of 20 degrees. And, according to an Internet document compiled by the Bradley Department of Electrical Engineering at the Virginia Polytechnic and State University, Ellipsat CEO David Castiel has said: “Frankly, my business plan can do without the people on Easter Island. The university says the system is designed to cover `more populated areas’.”
It was reported at the weekend that a group of South African companies – including Vula Communications, in which Sanco Investments Holdings has a 40% stake and various unions – had pledged R1,6-billion towards the Ellipso satellite phone system. Papers before the Federal Commuications Commission presented the consortium as being backed by the African National Congress and trade unions.
Vula Commuications head Mark Headbush told the Mail & Guardian this week that as far as he understood, the system will work in this country. Suggestions to the contrary were probably the result of “propoganda” directed against Ellipso because it was “driven by blacks”. He suggested the M&G contact Ellipsat in the US, which could not be reached for comment at the time of going to press.
According to Virginia Polytechnic, Ellipsat is up against the Iridium system developed by Motorola, which will be able to cover the globe by cross-linking its satellites.