Cellular Service By Balloon To Be Tested
Jan 30, 2006, 2:47 PM by (staff)
Extend America and Space Data, two American technology companies, are set to trial a high altitude hydrogen balloon that would provide cellular service to rural areas. The trial will take place next week using balloons that Space Data has already launched to create private radio networks for oil companies. If the trial is successful, Extend America hopes to launch a fleet of balloons over North Dakota, to provide cell service to the sparse population, by this summer. The balloons will float freely at a high altitude, transmitting signals while over the state. Once they drift out of range, the cellular components are released and fall back to earth on a parachute, where they can be collected and recycled for another launch.
Comments
Dropping out of the sky?
Balloons ... They really can't be that bad ...
So, it can't be that bad since there is a proven record of unmanned balloon "flight" like this.
Read:
http://www.srh.weather.gov/srh/jetstream/remote/ua.htm »
http://www.ua.nws.noaa.gov/reqdahdr.htm »
Just kidding.
It's just a very funny-sounding idea... something that you would see in a cartoon, not real life.
Glad Im not the only one thats like what the heck!
Huh???
Not mention the frustration of the customer whose phone service is out because their cellular signal repeater is laying on some dirt road 20 miles from nowhere...
All the cell phone companies should work on improving long range repeater technology and not hair-brained schemes from a wil-e-coyote cartoon...
(continues)
Let's get this straight...
muchdrama said:
They fall back to earth after drifting out of range?
Pick it up and stick the antenna on your house. π
Try this
slauttr said:
why dont they just strap them to the back of cows and pasturize the milk before bessy gives it to us
Damn you slauttr. That was my idea. π‘
Like. . .whoa
I can hear the recording now...
Is it April Fool's day already?