Google’s Project Loon has been approved for testing by the Indian government. The technology will now be tested in India before it goes big.
Not too long ago, we told you how Google plans to beam wireless internet from hot air balloons.
Project Loon involves the use of hot air balloons to beam free wireless internet over a particular region. As of now, Google has tested hot air balloons at a height of 20-km above the surface of the Earth. The transmission of internet services will be over an area of around 40 km.
The internet giant plants to partner with telecom giants to share cellular spectrum. This paves the way for the dissemination of 4G or LTE communications technology via these balloons. In order to keep the balloon up and running (read floating) all day, Google uses solar power and wind.
There are reports that Google is considering partnering with BSNL for testing the technology. However, no confirmation has been received so far.
In future, Google plans to provide Internet across India using 8 big solar powered drones. The Indian government is helping Google identify potential locations for carrying out the testing of Project Loon. The Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeitY) is also facilitating co-ordination between various agencies.
Project Loon is most likely to ace the tests. If all goes well, wireless internet connectivity using hot air balloons will soon become reality. Project Loon’s success in India will open new doors for Google. The idea is so revolutionary that once fully operational, it will surely go viral. Facebook is also planning a similar project. Zuckerberg’s company also plans to beam down internet using solar-powered drones in future.
(Featured Image Credit: indilens.com)
