Internet-By-Airship Scheduled For Trial Next Month

Reader ScrewTivo points to this Economist article on one of my favorite potential delivery means for high-speed Net access: stratosphere-dwelling airships. This version, from Sanswire Networks, is dubbed a "Stratellite," -- and one is scheduled to launch next month. As the submitter writes, "It's basically a blimp that thinks it's a geostationary satellite floating at 65K feet!"

Comments

Re:Tech Support

[krbvroc1]

Support: This is Gas Bag Networks, how my I help you? Customer; Yeah, the Internet went down. Support: Can you describe the problem? Customer: The &!#!&#$ blimp crashed into my livingroom!

Support: Sir, the network appears to be fine. We have not received any reports of trouble from your area.
Customer: I can see the blimp smoldering in my living room.
Support: We require several people in your area to report a problem before we can open a ticket for you.
Custumer: The blimp has crashed through my living room ceiling, I need help.
Support: Sir, what operating system are you running?
Customer: Why does that matter, the blimb is down. Please send someone.
Support: Sir, are you using a router?
Customer: Uh, yes.
Support: Sir, could you please reset your router by unplugging it, waiting 30 seconds, and then powering it on. Please tell me when you have done this.
Customer: What does my router have to do with the blimp crashing!!
Support: Sir, lets try disconnecting your router completely and plugging your network directly into the BlimpoNIC.
Customer: Listen here buddy, there is nothing wrong with my computer. Your blimp has crashed into my living room!
Support: Sir, let me connect you to our public relations department. Before I do so, is there anything else I can help you with today?
Customer: No!
Support: I'm transferring you now sir.

Click...DIALTONE

Re:Tech Support

[dabigpaybackski]

Obviously another satisfied AOL customer.

You think you're kidding

[Fished]

I had a cox cable connection that was strung too low over an alley, and periodically some sort of truck would pull the cable down. I would call the cable company, and go through the whole rigamarole you describe, before, finally, getting someone who could understand that the physical cable was lying in my back yard and no amount of fiddling would make it work. To get those dingbats to understand that the cable was PHYSICALLY DOWN and nothing they could do would fix it took hours.