range of terminal devices (such as digital voice 

 and facsimile) are planned. 

 — AT6T, in competition with SBS, plans a satellite 

 communication system using earth stations with a 

 10-foot antenna diameter. The satellite will poll 

 earth stations (in the United states) 80 times per 

 second, collecting and rebroadcasting messages to 

 addressees. 



In the facsimile area, Japan is reportedly planning 

 to market, within the next two to three years, a 

 home facsimile machine at a purchase cost of $400. 

 IBM is reported to be working on a four-second-per- 

 page facsimile machine, which might significantly 

 lower document transmission costs, perhaps below 

 those of first class mail. 



Although commercial facilities of the kind proposed 

 here will be in existence in the United States in about 

 three years, the development of global communications 

 facilities for research and development networks 

 requires preliminary studies to (1) estimate the 

 nature, size, and growth rate of the user clientele; 

 (2) develop tentative technical design scenarios and 

 estimate their costs; (3) study alternate ways of 

 cooperative design, funding, and management of the 

 communication facilities by the U.S. public and private 

 sectors; (4) identify international and economic policy 

 issues including those related to national efforts to 

 restrict the flow of data across borders; and (5) 

 develop strategies for involving developing countries 

 and country regions. 



Since intracountry communication facilities are 

 woefully inadequate in most developing nations, the 

 value of these systems at the local level would also be 

 high. One must not underestimate the magnitude, costs, 

 and problems associated with such an undertaking, 

 however. A major portion of the systems cost would be 

 in the equipment of satellite ground stations and user 

 communication terminals. Thus, while the United states 

 could offer to support and encourage preliminary 

 studies of the sort suggested here, it is recognized 

 that actual realization of such global systems lies in 

 the future because of the complexities and expense 

 involved. 



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