Florida company readies communications "Stratellite"
By Marc Perton 
posted December 18th 2004 10:06AM
posted December 18th 2004 10:06AM
GlobeTel Communications of Ft. Lauderdale, FL, says it's on target to launch its prototype "Stratellite" in the first quarter of next year. The Stratellite is a massive floating airship (though GlobeTel says it's not a balloon), and GlobeTel plans to deploy a network of them, stationed 13 miles above the Earth, to provide wireless services, including WiFi, cellphone service and HDTV. The company hasn't released any photos of the airship (though they have provided shots of someone standing in a hangar surrounded by a steel frame), and their press release includes the usual legalese disclaimers about "forward-looking statements." So, we may have to wait a while to see if this is real, or if they're just full of hot air.
I thought this company was in Atlanta.
actually this is an awesome idea. the sanswire (what the straellite is called) is solar powered and floats via a helium/nitrogen filled envelope. It doesn't use inflation for maintaining shape it has a plastic structure. It's a neat design.
But this will be used for "their" subscribers, I say they lease out the technology to bigger networks.
Wow, I wonder if this could be the modern equivelent of a lighthouse tender, huh? If these ships are manned (by, say, 1 person for 2-3 weeks), what a fantastic job that would be. I'd be there in a heartbeat.
Assuming, of course, you had net access. :) :) :)
no the airships are unmanned, they are controlled by the ground.
actually the stratellite is now owned by GTEL, who purchased the technology from Sanswire...an exciting company, GTEL.OB has a very exciting year ahead of it with the planned launch/test scheduled for the 1st quarter of 2005
IF they can do this from this height, why not just put this stuff on the bottom of all airliners. blanket the nation. they fly at what? 6 miles?
wifi can't go 300 feet with unidirectional transmission, let alone the 60,000 feet these airships will fly at. Smoke and mirrors, and the use of hype to pump up this company's lame OTCBB stock.
Yes, I am curious why airliners are not used for a wifi service back to the ground ( sort of like Bit Torrent in the sky), so when one moves out of range, the next one replaces it with coverage. I wonder how many planes are in the air right now?