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This is Fred Ball for Zions Bank, speaking on business.
Every day millions of us watch the news on TV or read it in the paper, but did you ever wonder who delivers the news to those media? While you may have never heard of a local company called Mainstream Data, chances are you use the information they deliver every day.
Scott Calder and Mo Gardner founded the company in 1985 and began delivering news and data using FM radio signals. Their FM data network quickly replaced costly telephone-based solutions in 17 of the largest metropolitan areas in the United States. As customers demanded broader geographic coverage, the company responded by incorporating satellite technologies in 1987. By 1989, Mainstream Data provided total U.S. coverage with a then state-of-the-art VSAT or very small aperture terminal satellite system. By 1991, Mainstream Data had built its first European satellite network, followed by an Asian network in 1996. Today, Mainstream Data owns and manages satellite, Internet, and wireless networks that span the globe.
Scott Calder, Mainstream's CEO, said that with the current telecommunications instability, Mainstream is seeing an increase in demand from companies who want a stable backup to their existing networks. And because Mainstream does everything from manufacturing the equipment to installing and managing the network, they save the customer both time and money.
Well, it seems to be working. With more than 125,000 installed sites worldwide - Mainstream is one of the largest turnkey satellite network providers in the world. Companies like Reuters, Dow Jones, ESPN SportsTicker, and the Associated Press rely on Mainstream to deliver their news, stock quotes, and images, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
So the next time you read that front-page story or catch the latest weather and sports scores on TV, don't be surprised if Utah-based Mainstream Data isn't behind it.
For Zions Bank, I'm Fred Ball. I'm speaking on business.
