News / Mobile
North Dakota considers balloon wireless concept
On 7 February 2006, the source described a plan backed by former North Dakota governor Ed Schafer to place wireless repeaters on balloons high above the state. The objective was to fill cellular coverage gaps across a large and sparsely served area.
The proposition
Schafer contrasted the claimed reach of three balloons with the number of towers he believed full statewide coverage would require. He also compared the stated cost of a balloon with that of a new cell tower and envisaged voice and data service from high altitude.
A concept, not a deployment result
The short source provides no engineering validation, spectrum plan, safety approval or evidence of implementation. It should therefore be read as a 2006 proposal and advocacy claim. It illustrates an attempt to rethink coverage economics where building many ground sites might be difficult.