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Weather Balloons To Provide Broadband In Africa

An anonymous reader writes "Two African entrepreneurs have secured exclusive access to market near-space technology — developed by Space Data, an American telecommunications company — throughout Africa. The technology raises hydrogen-filled weather balloons to 80,000 — 100,000 feet, which individuals contact via modems. The balloons, in turn, serve as satellite substitutes which can connect Africans to broadband Internet. 'Network operation centers are located close to a fiber optic cable — say, in Lagos or Accra — and a signal is sent back and forth to the [balloon] in near space,' says one of the entrepreneurs, Timothy Anyasi. The technology will also allow mobile phone operators to offer wireless modems to customers."

2 of 179 comments (clear)

  1. iPhone 3.0 release is here by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    oh yeah, bitches

    Fully wireless. Less flaming homos than a Nomad. Lame.

  2. That's freaking awesome. by clone53421 · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    NT

    --
    Alexander Peter Kristopeit bought his basement from his mommy for one dollar.