AFRO-NETS> PC Card for Worldspace radio and multimedia reception

[Dieter Neuvians MD <neuvians@mweb.co.zw>]

PC Card for Worldspace radio and multimedia reception
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The following press release might be of interest to AFRO-NETS sub-
scribers. Whereas it deals mainly with the commercial "Direct Media 
Service" in Kenya it is also interesting for health personnel in 
other countries because the Africa Learning Channel (ALC) broadcasts 
materials collected from African productions and co-productions and 
focuses on social development issues such as micro-enterprise devel-
opment, health, HIV/AIDS, history, English as a Second Language, Con-
flict Resolution, Economic Development, Women's Issues and Human 
Rights free of charge via Worldspace's AfriStar satellite. 

"In addition WorldSpace Foundation and SatelLife have launched a new 
multimedia health service that provides a steady stream of material 
to assist medical professionals in Africa in the diagnosis, preven-
tion and treatment of diseases that are ravaging the continent. This 
unique new service, called the Public Health Channel, will overcome 
the barriers of poverty, geography, and unreliable communications in-
frastructures to help stop the decimation and maiming of Africa's 
population from such diseases as HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculo-
sis." (Press release - Worldspace Foundation / SatelLife, Washington, 
DC, May 17, 2000)


WORLDSPACE UNVEILS FIRST PC CARD FOR SIMULTANEOUS RECEPTION OF 
MULTIMEDIA AND SATELLITE RADIO

http://www.worldspace.com/pressroom/press_release35.htm

Wireless, direct delivery to personal computers of digital data, im-
ages, select web content and satellite radio now available in Kenya

WASHINGTON, DC (July 19, 2001) - WorldSpace, the global pioneer in 
direct-to-receiver digital satellite audio and multimedia services, 
has introduced a PC card that transforms a computer into a satellite 
receiver enabling access to both WorldSpace Satellite Radio and the 
WorldSpace Direct Media service. The WorldSpace Multimedia & Satel-
lite Radio (MMSR) PC Card kit will be available to consumers first in 
Kenya and will be introduced to other markets in Africa and India by 
the end of 2001.

Following the success of its trial debut in Kenya, the enhanced 
WorldSpace Direct Media service provides users with a wide selection 
of quality web based multimedia content direct from satellite, elimi-
nating the expense and network congestion associated with traditional 
dial-up Internet service. Now a robust multimedia service operating 
at download speeds of up to 128 Kbps, WorldSpace Direct Media pro-
vides popular PC content, including entertainment, education, news, 
sports, weather, business, medicine, and human affairs, all without 
the need or limitations of a telephone line.

The new WorldSpace PC Card was developed by WorldSpace to meet in-
creasing demand for a product that would allow consumers to enjoy 
WorldSpace Satellite Radio and Direct Media through their desktop 
computers.

"We hope to make the WorldSpace PC Card an OEM [Original Equipment 
Manufacturer] product and we are in discussions with several computer 
manufacturers to make this happen," said Timothy Puckorius, senior 
vice president for worldwide marketing and sales. "PC growth is ex-
ploding in many of our markets and the terrestrial infrastructure is 
not keeping pace. WorldSpace is taking advantage of this disparity by 
providing our customers with a less expensive wireless alternative to 
traditional methods of accessing information."

The WorldSpace PC Card Kit will retail in Kenya at Kshs 7,900/= (US$ 
100). It facilitates full-time access to high quality audio and mul-
timedia programs almost anywhere in Africa, the Middle East, Southern 
Europe, and Asia within the coverage area of the WorldSpace satel-
lites. The kit comes complete with an antenna, cable and the software 
necessary to access the service. For a monthly subscription fee in 
Kenya of Ksh 1,600 per month for Direct Media, this pre-paid service 
delivers an assembly of the best of web content as well as custom 
programming from marquee content developers directly to the sub-
scriber's personal computer.

"This technology is in line with the WorldSpace mission to create in-
formation affluence in the larger part of the world's population 
where lack of appropriate infrastructure and prohibitive costs con-
tinue to work against access to information," said Ahmed Kassam, di-
rector of multimedia and data services for WorldSpace Kenya. "Sub-
scribers will benefit from fast download speeds and digital quality 
multimedia content in a user-friendly context that is secure and re-
liable, operating without the hiccups of dial up connections. With 
the option of selecting web-based content and viewing the same off-
line, the service is rated as highly cost-effective," Mr. Kassam con-
cluded.

WorldSpace is the sole provider of wireless satellite digital audio 
and multimedia to areas without adequate access to information with 
populations comprising 80% of humanity. Founded in 1990 by Noah A 
Samara WorldSpace began its audio service to Africa and the Middle 
East in October 1999 via its AfriStar satellite. With the launch of 
the PC Card Kit, Direct Media can now be accessible to the thousands 
of WorldSpace subscribers in most parts of the world. A Washington DC 
based company, WorldSpace has a global presence with regional offices 
in Australia, China, France, Germany, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Japan, 
Kenya, Singapore, Tobago, Trinidad, and UK. Locally, WorldSpace Kenya 
is a fully owned subsidiary of WorldSpace Inc. WorldSpace Kenya was 
the recipient of the award for best design display stand at the re-
cent AITEC Exhibition at KICC where the WorldSpace Multimedia & Sat-
ellite Radio PC Card was previewed and demonstrated.

About WorldSpace Corporation

Headquartered in Washington, DC, WorldSpace was founded in 1990 to 
provide direct satellite delivery of digital audio and multimedia 
services to the emerging markets of the world, including Africa, the 
Middle East, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean. The WorldSpace 
satellite network will consist of three geostationary satellites. The 
first two satellites, AfriStar and AsiaStar, were successfully 
launched October 28, 1998 and March 21, 2000 respectively. The third 
satellite, AmeriStar, will follow in 2001. Each satellite has three 
beams with each beam capable of delivering more than 40 crystal clear 
audio channels and a variety of web content and data directly to 
portable receivers. Once completed, this unique global service will 
transmit quality information, education and entertainment programming 
to a service area that includes 5.2 billion people. For more informa-
tion, visit our web site at:
http://www.worldspace.com


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