The internet has drastically changed communication and connection between people. The technology has been able to capture a large market, with Internet Live Stats recording the number of global internet users at more than 3.2 billion (and continuously rising).
Despite the growing number of people connected to the Internet, not all countries have access to an online connection. With so many services and conveniences now available online, many people are missing out on things that could supposedly make their lives better.
This is the reason why Google is embarking on a massive initiative called Project Loon (and no, it’s not a plan to make everyone crazy!). The project is described on the Google page as follows:
“Many of us think of the Internet as a global community. But two-thirds of the world’s population does not yet have Internet access. Project Loon is a network of balloons traveling on the edge of space, designed to connect people in rural and remote areas, help fill coverage gaps, and bring people back online after disasters.”
The technology works by letting Loon balloons float in the air, particularly in the stratosphere. The balloons will then connect with partner internet service providers to distribute the network to a much wider reach.
“By partnering with Telecommunications companies to share cellular spectrum we’ve enabled people to connect to the balloon network directly from their phones and other LTE-enabled devices. The signal is then passed across the balloon network and back down to the global Internet on Earth.”
In other words, the Loon balloon can connect to a Jacksonville NC internet service provider, for instance, and allow someone living in Sri Lanka to have access to the internet.
The first test of Google Loon was conducted in the South Island of New Zealand in 2013. According to this page on Google Loon, thirty Loon balloons were launched into the air and successfully connected a group of testers to the Internet.
Development of the project is ongoing, with more areas of the world connected to the internet. “Looking ahead, Project Loon will continue to expand the pilot, with the goal of establishing a ring of uninterrupted connectivity at latitudes in the Southern Hemisphere, so that pilot testers in these latitudes can receive continuous service via balloon-powered Internet,” according to a statement by Project Loon.
Although Project Loon looks to be the ultimate hope to reach offline parts of the world, the project doesn’t come without any hitches. Several incidents of balloons crashing in many areas of the world have been reported, the latest of which was found in a residential front yard in San Francisco.
Meanwhile, the project is facing obstacles in other countries. The effectiveness of the Loon balloons relies on the strength and connectivity of the telecommunications providers, and so countries who don’t support Google’s plans will probably affect the internet access of neighboring countries. In a recent news article, India is reportedly having issues with the internet balloon technology because of the project’s use of the same frequency band as the country’s cellular networks.
Google’s world-changing plan has taken the globe by storm. Despite the kinks encountered in this monumental program and the restrictions in other areas, the search giant’s move will definitely change the way the whole world enjoys internet.
