Broadband Blimps

mcabiling writes "SansWire Networks will demonstrate their "Stratellite" technology next week. For those of you who aren't familiar with SansWire, they plan to build a wireless network with balloons or "airships" as they call them. "A Stratellite(TM) is a high-altitude airship that when in place in the stratosphere will provide a stationary platform for transmitting various types of wireless communications services currently transmitted from cell towers and satellites. It is not a balloon or a blimp. It is a high-altitude airship." Looks like a blimp to me..."

Comments

Nice technology

[SIGALRM]

A Stratellite is similar to a satellite, but is stationed in the stratosphere rather than in orbit

Sounds like an attempt to overcome the runaway expenditures of Teledesic's failed LEO project. The problem with these high-altitude sender/receivers is that--while they offer a technology solution--there is a corresponding weakness in application.

For example, latency in these systems make it unattractive for many internet applications (who wants to play FPS's over a spread-slotted Aloha CDMA system?).

And then there is the monstrous launch and maintenance expense...

Re:Nice technology

[Stargoat]

The site's been slashdotted, but the use of technology does make sense. Think about a large conference. The entire area could be given cell phone and wireless coverage for a week, and then the blimp could be taken to another town for another event.

So an event like the Olympics could have its cell phone and wireless coverage reinforced, and then the week after, it could be back in London for Wimpleton. (Or whatever.)

It's a Blimp...

[CommanderData]

The idea of blanket wireless internet access for all is enticing, but what kind of battery life are you going to get in your Laptop/PDA when you need a PC Card that can transmit signals over Seventy Six miles to this thing? (Based on the Altitude of 13 miles and an expected wireless coverage radius of 75 miles)

Not sure about anyone else, but I lose an hour off my battery life for a wifi signal that barely reaches 100 feet.

This sounds cool, but are they overselling it?

[NoNeeeed]

Our subscribers will be able to sit in their home on a laptop computer while connected to the Internet at high-speed. If they need to go to the office or across town, they simply close the laptop and take off. When they get to their destination, they open their laptop and they are still on the Internet. If they need to travel to another city, they simply take their laptop with them and when they get to where they are going, they open their laptop again and they are still connected.

And

clear line-of-site to approximately 300,000 square miles

Now a rough calculation puts its radius of coverage at about 300miles
radius = sqrt( Area / Pi )
r = sqrt (300,000 / 3.14)
r = sqrt (95541)
r = 309miles


So the distance between a device and this airship is at least 300miles.

With that kind of range, is it realistic to have the gear in a laptop/cellphone?

Would it not kill the battery? I get shorter battery life just using wi-fi.

Would you need some kind of directional arial?

I'm sure they have thought of all this, but it does feel like they might be over-hyping the usefulness.