There is great potential in the long-predicted marriage of satellites and cable. The public service community and the cable industry have many mutual interests in such a liaison.
The satellite does not provide an alternative way to provide conventional terrestrial services. Rather, it makes feasible the development of services which are not otherwise possible; e.g., clinical support services for health care in remote areas, interactive education services to widely distributed student populations, a more diversified system of television and radio networking.
Satellites of relatively high power, coupled with small, inexpensive ground terminals, make these and other developments possible.