Could laser ease the bandwidth squeeze?

The armed forces are often criticised for over-use of the airwaves, but could a technology emerging from the military sphere transform current perceptions of spectrum scarcity?

Our appetite for bandwidth is enormous and growing still. Now that enabling technology has evolved, optical wireless (OW) or free space optical communications (FSO) using eye-safe laser could make current broadband data-transfer rates look like dial-up in decades to come. The US military is investing in the technology and intends to deploy 12 optical communications relay satellites commencing in 2012.

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