Massachussetts-based company Altaeros says it has successfully tested an aerial cell tower in southern New Hampshire.
It's called the Super Tower and it kind of looks like a blimp, attached to tethers on the ground.
The company says putting a cell tower high in the air, well above the tree line, can expand communications in rural areas where signals are often shoddy.
The company plans to work with U.S. carriers to place the flying cell towers.
"What we're trying to do is make it much more affordable for them to extend their network into those parts of New Hampshire and elsewhere that don't have coverage today," said Ben Glass, CEO of Altaeros.
Senator Maggie Hassan and others have called attention to the Granite State's sometimes spotty wireless and broadband coverage. Altaeros has not yet announced plans to install permanent Super Towers in the state , but will use the New Hampshire unit as a demonstration platform.
According to Glass, the Super Tower's environmental impact is less than that of traditional terrestrial towers.
