Balloons and Drones in Telecom: Consultancy Advises Partnerships with Web Giants

Analytics and consulting firm GlobalData is recommending that telecommunication companies and webscale companies work together to develop communications services based on balloons and drones. Using atmospheric satellite balloons and drones in telecom could support emergency communications and could provide coverage in unserved areas, GlobalData said. Some US carriers, including AT&T, have used or are looking at using drones in telecom to act as cellsites during service outages when traditional cellsite infrastructure is damaged. Meanwhile, webscale companies such as Google and Facebook are experimenting with using balloons and drones in telecom. Researchers also argue that the cost of service can be as big a barrier as a lack of service when it comes to global coverage.