World's first commercial aerial cell tower launched by Altaeros
The SuperTower uses autonomous, tethered aerostat technology to expand coverage to rural communities.
Massachusetts-based communications infrastructure provider, Altaeros, officially launched the world’s first commercially available aerial cell tower, the SuperTower ST200. Altaeros successfully completed initial testing of the ST200 at its R&D Center in southern New Hampshire.
The ST200 was tested with six high capacity Ericsson 4G LTE radios and three high-gain Matsing lens antennas. During the initial, testing users were able to stream high-definition video at distances well beyond the reach of a typical cell site, even in the hills and forests of New England. Altaeros is initially deploying SuperTowers in partnership with carriers in the US, with plans to quickly expand internationally.
"We're very excited about the opportunity this application unlocks for both Ericsson and our customers,” said Amy McCune, Head of Customer Unit Regional Carriers for Ericsson North America. “Our customers, especially those operating in rural markets, have been searching for unique and innovative solutions to expand coverage to their communities."
Watch the video here.
Read the full announcement here.