Sri Lanka provides internet to rural areas using Google internet balloons, perhaps a call for India to consider such viable options

Follow Us

Google balloons will soon be up in the air floating above Sri Lanka, providing internet to millions of Sri Lankan rural mass! Being committed to the mission of providing high-speed affordable internet access to rural areas, Sri Lanka has partnered with Google to use its balloons that beam signals from sky.

Google internet balloons




Introduced in 2013, Google internet balloons, popularly known as Google Project Loon 2013 uses helium-filled, hi-tech balloons made from polythene film float in the stratosphere about 20km above the Earth to beam signals. The balloons are equipped with flight computers and the altitudes are controlled from the ground, keeping them moving along a desired channel by using different winds at different heights. Users would need to install a receiver in the ground to get signal.

Claiming to be cheaper than the traditional fibre cables, the transmitter on each balloon would beam down the internet to an area of about 1250 sq.km. They are floated at a height twice as high as airplanes and will not be visible to naked eyes.

Through the partnership with Google, the villages lying along the stretch of Dondra (south) to Point Pedro (northern) in Sri Lanka will receive internet connections. Local service providers will also have access to balloons, reducing their operational costs. This can even enhance the quality of the service providers. The prices may also come down.

Google will finish sending up the balloons for the purpose by March 2016. Thousands of balloons will be floated for providing coverage to the entire island.

Sri Lanka has always been in the forefront when it comes to technology. The country is the first in South Asia to introduce mobile phones in 1989. It was also the first country to roll out 3G network in 2004. Sri Lanka introduced 4G two years ago. Now with Google Project Loon, Sri Lanka will be the first country in Indian Ocean region with complete coverage.

It is high time that Indian government soon adopt such feasible methods for providing coverage. Google was reported to be in talks with India to introduce Google Project Loon in India.

Reported By

Reporter

An astute writer with a track record in writing and publishing content for various industries, Ria brings on board her wealth of experience in journalism and love for technology to TelecomTalk. When not writing or reading, she spends a copious amount of time daydreaming and finding obscure Japanese folklore on the internet.

Recent Comments

TheAndroidFreak :

Off Topic : Vivo V60 series V60 - Snapdragon 7 Gen 4, 6.67 display V60 Pro - D9300+, 6.31 inch…

BSNL is Offering 2GB of Daily Data at Just Rs…

TheAndroidFreak :

Poco F7 for India iQOO Z series phone Honor 400(Honor 400 Pro Ultra might launch with 8s Elite to compete…

BSNL is Offering 2GB of Daily Data at Just Rs…

Faraz :

Wait.. Is it 400 MHz band, or upto 400 MHz bandwidth support ?? (Like currently supported bandwidth is upto 100…

OpenAI Launches GPT-4.5, Announces New Media Partnerships

Sujata :

I wish vi has such speeds, at least half of it, instead of that capped 40 Mbps

BSNL is Offering 2GB of Daily Data at Just Rs…

Load More
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
8 Comments
newest
oldest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments