slate. All you wanted to know about project loon

Last week, Google’s unconventional plan to offer wireless internet services in inaccessible areas was in the news. Why a search engine should get into telecom infrastructure may evoke curiosity. But it gets curiouser and curiouser when you know that the scheme is called Project Loon.

Project Loon aims to provide internet services to the remote parts of the world. Rather than use under-ground fibre optic cables or construct cell towers to connect users, it will use balloons that float in the stratosphere. That explains the name.

Huge helium filled balloons — about 15m wide and 12m tall — will be launched at altitudes of 20 km above the earth, above the zone where airplanes fly. The balloons can then act as cell towers to receive and transmit signals. Solar panels will power these ‘loons’ with their batteries storing up charge for night-time operation.

The balloon’s path will be controlled by changing its altitude, so that it can optimally use wind speed and direction. The altitude will be altered by pumping or releasing air to raise or lower the balloon. As one ‘station’ moves off to a new pre-determined location, the next one moves in. Users will need a special antenna for receiving and sending radio signals to/from the balloon. They will need a connection to the internet service provider to access the web.

The idea is not just a lot of hot air, but has been field tested in New Zealand and Brazil. The balloons, made by Raven Aerostar, have been improved. From falling off from the sky in under a week initially, they now remain afloat for as long as six months. Google has tied up with three service providers in Indonesia to offer loon services. An agreement was also signed with Sri Lanka to provide internet connectivity using 13 balloons.

That said, there were instances of balloons falling out of the sky onto power lines, shutting off electricity. Countries feel that there may be national security risks with objects hovering over their air space.

Access to the internet may seem like a birth-right for those in developed world. But about two-thirds of the world’s population isn’t on to the world wide web yet. And the digital divide between the developed and developing countries is growing. Data show that the gap has increased 75 times between 2001 and 2010.

One reason is the cost and practical issues in reaching remote places and difficult terrain such as jungles and mountains. Providing service from the sky in regions where infrastructure development on the ground is challenging can be a viable option. And when there is service disruption due to a natural calamity — as seen in the recent Chennai floods — the balloons can be shifted around quickly to ensure that communication systems remain operational.

Wider internet reach and higher bandwidth availability incubate ideas, innovation and empower everyone through information. E-commerce, e-learning and e-governance may take off in a big way.Overcoming IT infrastructure hurdles through an internet in the sky can give initiatives such as Digital India, a new lease of life. Also, Project Loon can deliver 10 Mb/sec speeds, compared to 3G networks in India that offer about 2 Mbps on average.

Project Loon may seem to promise the moon, but it can be a real boon.

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