Ballooning Wireless Service in Rural America

As about 36% of rural Americans do not have Internet connections, expanding telecom services to the more remote areas of the country seems to be a worthwhile pursuit. Jerry Knoblach, head of Space Data Corp., is exploring this idea in an innovative way: by launching large balloons 20 miles into the stratosphere, each carrying a payload of electronics that “acts as a mini cellphone ‘tower’ covering thousands of square miles below.” Space Data claims that a single balloon can serve an area that would otherwise require 40 cell towers, and while such expansive service can be provided cheaply, the low-cost balloons are functional for only 24 hours before they burst due to low air pressure in the upper atmosphere. To maintain a constant presence of balloons in the sky, the company has enlisted the services of dairy farmers, who are paid $50 for each balloon that they launch. The balloon scraps that fall back down to Earth, however, have raised some environmental concerns, particularly with regard to the health and safety of sea life. Knoblach claims that the balloons do not have any significant environmental impact and in fact may reduce such impact by replacing cell phone towers that pose dangers to migratory birds. These environmental questions notwithstanding, Google sees promise in this technology, and has reportedly considered contracting with or even buying out Space Data Corp. To read more on this topic, click here.