Overview

As the quest to improve communications continues at an increasing pace, the need to efficiently use our airways demands more innovative approaches.

The CAPANINA project will develop wireless and optical broadband technologies for use on High Altitude Platforms (HAPs).

Typically a HAP is an airship that floats at an altitude of around 20km, well above any normal aircraft but being in the stratosphere, substantially below orbiting satellites.

CAPANINA will deliver low cost broadband communications services to small office and home users at data rates up to 120Mbit/s - a staggering 2000 faster than today's dial-up modems and more than 200 times faster than a typical "wired" broadband facility.

Users in rural and other 'hard to reach' areas will benefit thanks to the unique wide-area, high-capacity wireless coverage provided by HAPs.

Additionally, use of "smart" roof-top antennas on trains will provide the moving user with high speed internet connectivity.

Stratospheric broadband fills the gap between satellite and terrestrial wireless technologies. Furthermore, without the need to dig up roads to lay new cables it is of particular relevance to rural, suburban and moving users.

Whatever a user wants to do, be it browse the internet, download a movie or song, select video on demand or use any other bandwidth hungry application, HAP broadband delivery systems will ensure more cost effective availability to all.

The CAPANINA project involves 14 partners and is partially funded by the European Union.