The service will use aircraft carrying communications equipment hovering at stratospheric levels (i.e. 20km from the ground) to blanket large areas with broadband access.

QucomHaps chief executive officer Billy Harkin said HAPS is also capable of providing 3G (third generation) and GSM (Global System for Mobile communications) connections, as well as digital broadcasts and WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) wireless Net access.

“HAPS is not meant to replace existing telecommunications infrastructures, but to complement these systems by extending and enhancing their coverage and reach,” he explained.

QucomHaps signed a contract with a Russian agency in November to purchase 48 units of M55 aircraft, of which 13 will be used in Malaysia.

The company is also investing RM12mil to bring an M55 aircraft to Malaysia to carry out a technical demonstration in March.-The Star

What is HAPS?

HAPS technology is relatively an outstanding concept, proposing the use of piloted M-55GN high altitude aircraft flying in a circular corridor at an altitude of approximately 20 km to provide wireless access over extended areas. HAPS are best integrated with terrestrial wireless technologies and interconnected through radio links. HAPS latency is minimal and bandwidth are allocated to a number of transmission technologies on the same platform (e.g., TV & Radio broadcast and backhaul, mobile telephony, VoIP, monitoring). The technology optimises on the usage of efficient frequency spectrum and reuse of frequencies and bandwidth on demand. HAPS provide additional and alternative capacity to service providers, broadcasters and telecommunication operators.

Fundamentally, HAPS perform efficiently on task that currently handled by satellites, aircraft or terrestrial systems that include communication and non-telecommunication applications:

• Telecommunication
• Location services including air and maritime traffic control
• Point-to-point, point-to-multipoint and broadcasting services
• Surveillance of persons, goods, and areas Monitoring
• Reconnaissance and intelligence
• Data collection and remote sensing
• Mapping
• Weather

More info: http://www.qucomhaps.com/