Well-known uses for microwave technology include thawing frozen meat and reheating last night’s dinner. But Leif Peterson of Horizon Satellite is adding another option. His company is offering high-speed Internet access through wireless microwave.

The technology uses a fiber-optic network to carry information to a series of towers. Each tower sends out microwaves that can travel up to 50 miles. Customers are equipped with a corresponding satellite antenna. The tower must be in the line of sight of each antenna, so towers are usually placed from 15 to 20 miles apart.

“It’s a small panel antenna, about 14 by 12 inches, and it sits on the outside of the house. It looks like the Anchorage phone book,” Peterson said. “It’s similar to Dish Network TV, only the price on that satellite is about $1,000.”

Antenna installation from Horizon Satellite costs $275 for residents, with a $49.99 subscription fee each month. A business connection costs $99 per month.

Peterson says the connection speed with the satellite system is about 30 times faster than a dial-up connection.

Peterson sees the microwave technology as a solution to the problem of providing high-speed Internet access to rural customers, such as those in the Alaska bush, where DSL and cable technology haven’t reached and residents may not even have the option of a dial-up connection.

“It’s so labor-intensive, and the population is so small, phone companies don’t attempt it,” he said. “We want to be able to bring high speed access to a lot of places that, without the technology, would never have it.”

Peterson set up the first site in Port Graham to test the village system. One house holds the antenna, and several other residences can connect to that house.

“Then they all transmit back using one connection,” Peterson said.

Horizon Satellite currently has about 500 subscribers to the service, with towers providing coverage from the end of East End Road through Happy Valley. Peterson said they have seven towers up now and plan to build more, including one on the North Fork. The towers can cost from $15,000 to $20,000 to install, depending on where they are located.

“This initial phase will go as far as Kenai and Soldotna,” Peterson said.

Peterson and Horizon Satellite can be reached at 226-3130.