Cell tower blimp being tested by Mass. company causing stir in NH

FREMONT, N.H. — This blimp has loomed over the small town of Fremont, New Hampshire for the past six months.

Altaeros, a company based in Somerville, Massachusetts, is testing the blimp as a way to bring cell and other telecommunication services to poorly served rural areas.

Residents tell Boston 25 News their cellphone service there is horrible. Altaeros says that's because the blimp isn't providing service to Fremont, it is only testing payloads.

But the company suggests, just wait.

Altaeros says the key advantage to the blimp is that it puts telecommunications equipment so high in the air that one blimp can take the place of 15 cellphone towers. Plus, it's autonomous. Taken together, that can reduce service costs, they say, by 60%.

So if it means having the blimp hanging around 24/7, is it worth it?

Bridget Ivey says it's too big and ugly.

"I can't imagine those all over the place taking up space like those towers," she said. "I would rather have the towers."

But for Jonathan Bergeron, he just wants something that will help.

"I think it's actually kind of cool. Just something to see. It's different. Doesn't really bother me at all. But overall if it helps, it helps," he said.

Cox Media Group