ices and Internet access for media content, we can expect major long distance infrastructure capacity expansion, but not wholesale renewal with extra fibre. Turning to alternatives for long distance to 2030, there seems to be some potential in power line carriers, but this is usually interpreted, for long distance, as embedded fibre inside earth or perhaps HV cables. As noted, the future of satellites does not indicate a significant switch to their use for long distance traffic. Their capacity historically is quite low (see Figure 2.12) SO that, without a large change in technology and orbits, they do not seem to be a major contender for infrastructures for the future. They will have a part to play, for instance in combination with mobile, for content broadcast, especially of non-isochronous traffic: Alternative Wireless Technologies (AWTs) in the local loop For cost and rollout reasons, as well as the bandwidth that AWTs can offer, there is strong potential for AWT mobile to leapfrog fixed line broadband communications and mobile cellular. Recent case studies on the first AWT implementations indicate they may bring lower costs to mobile radio communications, although large-scale implementations of the leading contender, WiMax, are still to be deployed. One large case study with proprietary Flash OFDM (from Flarion, a spin-off of Bell Labs, now owned by Qualcomm) has shown up to 80% cost savings over an equivalent coverage by a conventional mobile cellular network, which could only offer narrowband capabilities for voice and data. 60 Generally, AWT networks demand a much lower infrastructure cost base than 2G or 3G mobile in that the equipment is based on data communications experience with wireless hubs for WiFi. They may avoid special sites, by placing the transceiver units on outside walls, lampposts, etc., while local power supply INFRASTRUCTURE TO 2030: TELECOM, LAND TRANSPORT, WATER AND ELECTRICITY - ISBN 92-64-02398-4 © OECD 2006 2. TELECOMS INFRASTRUCTURE TO 2030 Figure 2.12. Growth in satellite communica