What Happened To PC Satellite Hookups?

For years, I have longed for satellite data transmission and wondered why satellite radio could not be used for more. As an advocate of a “third network” that is, a network that is not the Internet, which can be used for communication and research should the internet go down.

Sirius and XM Radio merged in 2008 to prevent going bankrupt. Now they are the only satellite radio provider today and have pivoted to streaming as well, with an acquisition of Pandora and the Sirius mobile application. However, before them there were competitors; one such was WorldSpace, which broadcasted music and news and was primarily focused on the developing market and Asian countries.Per a New York Times report around 2002, the company sold receivers that could plug into a PC. This would distribute the WorldSpace Direct Media, which delivers graphics, news content, financial and sports news all onto your PC via satellite.

Per the manual: “By adding a WorldSpace PC Adaptor to your receiver, you can also plug excitement into your personal computer! WorldSpace Direct Media assembles the best of the Internet and custom programming from marquee content developers and delivers it directly to your PC. No telephone connection needed! No network congestion. Just a clear digital signal and a small monthly fee puts select web content as near as your keyboard and mouse.” The fee was reportedly 10 dollars.

Now it only allowed users to communicate one way, with the company curating content that would be sent—kind of like the CompuServe and MSN portals of old—but imagine if the technology had progressed. Later on in the report, the Times states that the tech was there for them to have some sort of email communication tech and transmit password-protected documents. Imagine if we integrated this into the chips of laptops or phones. It would still allow us to not be sent back to the Stone Age if the internet went down; it would allow for competition, and there is just something cool about using a satellite lookup. God bless and tech talk to you later!!