20060130
    A new approach to the age old problem of how to get complete cell phone coverage in sparsely populated areas or areas that are hilly or mountainous: balloons. Basically, a cell repeater is attached to the bottom of a large balloon and lofted high enough in the air that it essentially acts as a cell tower.
    The concept of using balloons for similar functions is not new. The US Border Patrol has used balloons for quite awhile now to mount remote sensing equipment along the US-Mexican border. A good example of one of these balloons can be seen in Sierra Vista, Arizona.
    This particular application of balloons offers the doorway to a whole host of potential lighter than air applications, including traffic monitoring, analysis and control of crop irrigation systems, and passive defense. It is entirely possible that the next several years could see balloons sitting next to interstates and hovering above tall buildings. And all this from what most think of as a child’s toy.
DLH
Pure genius! WHAT will they think of next?