Satellites and mobile phones: Planning a marriage: Dramatic improvements in rural communications may be in the offing as direct service by satellite to mobile phones moves closer to reality

You are part of a geological exploration team working in a remote area of Wyoming, and you have encountered a problem that you cannot solve by yourself. With a portable telephone unit, you try to reach a colleague in your company's Chicago branch. She is not in her office, but with a second call you reach her directly as she is driving east on Interstate 80 in western Pennsylvania. Through your telephone conversation, the two of you resolve the problem quickly and your work can then proceed.