DHAKA: Google believes it is on course to have enough internet-beaming balloons in the stratosphere to form a ring over part of the world next year.

It said the move would let it trial a continuous data service to people living below the balloons' path.

The declaration coincides with the announcement that three of Indonesia's mobile networks intend to start testing Project Loon's transmissions next year.

One expert said the plan had benefits over other solutions.

Sri Lanka previously signed a separate agreement signalling its wish to be another participant in the giant helium balloon-based scheme.

Google suggests that Project Loon would be a cheaper solution than installing fibre optic cables or building mobile phone masts across all of Indonesia's islands, which contain jungles and mountains.

It says the scheme would help address the fact that more than 100 million people out of the country's 255 million-strong population remain unconnected.

"From Sabang all the way to Merauke, many of these people live in areas without any existing internet infrastructure, so we hope balloon-powered internet could someday help give them access to the information and opportunity of the web," it said in a blog.

A tech consultant Chris Green commented, “Any country that is struggling to get cabled or land-based wireless infrastructure out to its extreme edges will see satellites or other sky-based internet delivery mechanisms as a viable solution”.

The advantage of a balloon-based system over satellites is that it should ultimately be cheaper to maintain - at least, if all the technological challenges can be overcome.

Google first revealed its superpressure balloon plan in June 2013, when about 30 of the inflatable plastic "envelopes" were launched from New Zealand.

The original set-up provided 3G-like data speeds, but the kit can now supply connected devices with about 10 megabits a second to connected devices via antennae on the ground.

For comparison's sake, the average 4G connection in the UK is 15Mbit/sec.

Google is, however, also pursuing a separate effort codenamed Titan, which aims to use solar-panelled drones to provide the internet to unconnected parts of the world.

Source: BBC

BDST: 0950 HRS, OCT 29, 2015
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