Thanks for the info. I note that you were not critical of my attempts to explain my understanding of what Connexion IS, leading me to believe that my anology was pretty close.

But, after reading your info, I admit to being a bit confused on another aspect, though I think I may have figured it out...(?)

So Boeing/Connexion got FAA and FCC approval of their system, but per the link Mediator provided, and I referred to, there is to be an auction by the FCC of transmission bands with the only bidders being Verizon and AirCell*.

What I think I`ve figured out is that Connexion is going air to stallite to ground, and Verizon and AirCell are going air directly to ground (no satellite). I may have this all wrong, but it does make sense from another perspective. With Boeing`s acquisition of Hughes Aircraft`s

Hughes Space & Communications unit (the satellite part of the company), they pretty much own the high sky. I KNOW that as of 5-10 years ago, 80+% of all satellites aloft were built by Hughes, which owned many of them. This is how they pulled off the whole DirectTV thing (another Hughes unit that I believe has been sold off). Hughes ``rented`` access to satellite space. Now Boeing has it, along with all the satellites that they put up themselves and retained ownership to. The connectivity of satellite to ground (and back) was already there and fully approved (or else DirectTV would never have existed). So the only nut Boeing had to crack was the link/connectivity from air to satellite, and they did it. Seems this would be an easier nut, as signals wouldn`t be directed to earth with all the inherent concerns.

Verizon and AirCell have a different nut to crack, that being air direct to ground. Hence the need for the FCC bands to be auctioned this Fall.

I`m not 100% sure about all this, but my explanation makes sense to me (!).

SGE

* Is AirCell the reported Connexion competitor that was doing tests in Spring at China Lake? If so, this gets a little more confusing, unless AirCell intends to do as Verizon (air to ground) and not as Connexion (air to satellite to ground). But this prompts the question as to why AirCell (if they were the ones doing the tests) was cited as being competition to Connexion, but Verizon (if I recall correctly) wasn`t mentioned as a third competitor.