New Delhi: Internet giant Google has received government's permission for providing internet connectivity by using large balloons which is also known as 'Project Loon'. Google will beam the internet from balloons in the sky.
Project Loon aims to change that by transmitting high-speed Internet signals from clusters of balloons floating about 60,000 feet above the Earth.
Project Loon will deploy hundreds of balloons that serve as cell towers in the sky, invisible to the naked eye. To pull it off, the project's engineers must choreograph a high-altitude dance, ensuring that as one balloon drifts out of a targeted territory's Internet-receiving range, another one will float in to fill the void.
A report recently released by the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) on the internet in local language claims that rural India will drive 75% growth in adding to the internet user base, while urban India will contribute by 16%. Taking a cue it can be said that Google's Project Loon can cetainly go a long way in providing internet connectivity to the remote corners of the country.
Here are five things to know about Google's ambitious and revolutionary project:
1) India is the fifth country which will get internet connectivity by Project Loon. Here are the names of other four countries which have already given their consent to this project. New Zealand is the first country to get internet connectivity through this project. It was followed by South American nation Brazil.
India's southern neighbour Sri Lanka is also a part of this project and is expected to get 100% connectivity in next few months. Indonesia is the fourth country to allow this project in its soil.
New Zealand was the first country to get internet powered by Project Loon. Brazil was the second. Sri Lanka also gave the nod to Google recently and is expected to get 100% internet connectivity "in a few months". Indonesia is the fourth country to get Project Loon-based internet and India will be the fifth.
2) Google may initially partner with BSNL for testing this technology by using broadband spectrum in 2.6GHz band.
3) The technology, used for 4G services, has potential to replace mobile towers as it can directly transmit signals on 4G mobile phones. As per Google, each balloon can provide connectivity to a ground area about 40 km in diameter using a wireless communications technology called LTE or 4G.
4) Loon partners with telecommunications companies to share cellular spectrum so that people will be able to access the Internet everywhere directly from their phones and other LTE-enabled devices. Google uses solar panel and wind to power electronic equipment in the balloon throughout the day.
5) Under the drone project, Google had plans to transmit internet on ground using 8 big solar powered drones.
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