(Image source from: Google teams with Indian Government for balloon Internet project})
Internet giant Google has teamed up with Indian Government on a pilot project named ‘Project Loon’ to provide Internet connectivity using large balloons. Google is leveraging big balloons, which float at 20 km height from above the Earth surface, to transmit Internet services. The technology was already tested in New Zealand, California (the U.S.) and Brazil.
An official source told PTI that, “Google approached government to set up the Loon project and Drone-based Internet transmission. Government has approved testing of Loon project only as of now. A committee under chairmanship of Secretary, DEITY, has been formed to work on it.”
The Internet giant is likely to team up with BSNL to test the technology, leveraging broadband spectrum in 2.6 Ghz band. The best part of the technology that is used for 4G services is that it can directly transmit signals on 4G mobile phones and so can replace mobile towers.
According to Google, single balloon can facilitate connectivity to a ground area nearly 40 km in diameter leveraging wireless communications technology called 4G or LTE. So as to use LTE, Project Loon and telecommunications companies partner with each other to share cellular spectrum to make internet access available to people everywhere, from their phones or other LTE-enabled devices directly.
Solar panel and wind is used by the Internet giant to power the electronic equipment in the balloon all through the day. Sources say that Google is likely to operate as technology service providers rather than internet service provider.
Sources said, “The DEITY committee is looking at various aspects to facilitate test like identifying locations, coordination with various agencies. Under the Drone project, Google had plans to transmit internet on ground using 8 big solar powered drones but that has not been cleared by government yet.”
- Sumana
