AT&T offers suitcase-sized mobile towers for disaster hit areas

With the launch of Ground Control, the communication technology has taken a giant leap forward. The AT&T Fly Away device is a mobile tower small enough to be carried in a suitcase. The development is being seen as a major breakthrough in communication technology as portable towers will allow wireless coverage even from the remotest corners of the planet. The gadget will prove to be a big assistance in disaster management. The assessment of damage and call for immediate relief measures in the cases of natural or man-made calamity will no longer be dependent upon the slow moving vehicles fitted with satellite towers which often take too much time to reach the affected area thereby losing crucial hours and human lives.

atts cell phone tower in a trunk

Police too can use it to effectively curb criminal activities through better coordination with its headquarters. The device is useful in places which are prone to hurricanes and tornadoes that destroy existing communication towers. Apart from its usefulness in disaster management, the device can be used by corporate too for optimization of their business. The company has plans to sell the technology in government and corporate circles

The best part of the device is its portability. The entire set of components of AT&T 'Fly Away' Remote Mobility Zone can be packed into a small case and can be transported even to the otherwise inaccessible areas. The satellite and generator is of course carried separately. The tower can be easily mounted in a car or atop a truck. Manufactured to handle 14 calls simultaneously, the device costs between $15,000 and $45,000 in addition to some monthly fees.

The data travel speed with the tower is slower than usual broadband speeds but the satellite dish with Remote Mobility Zone makes the communication independent of broadband requirement and can be used with AT&T phones with connectivity within half a mile radius. The entire unit can be easily set up in less than half-an-hour.

Via: FastCompany