Google’s project Loon is an ambitious project aimed to provide internet connectivity to each person in India. It stems down from a broader ambition to connect all rural and underdeveloped towns and villages through the internet. But this project is now facing roadblocks from certain ministries just a few days before the scheduled arrival of Google CEO Sundar Pichai’s visit to India. Defence ministry, Civil ministry and Telecom ministry have publicly voiced their opinion against this ambitious project citing a variety of reasons including security and interference. This project is likely to be an important topic of discussion between Pichai and Prime Minister Narendra Modi during Pichai’s visit to India.
Pichai and Modi had earlier discussed the feasibility of project Loon during the latter’s visit to Silicon Valley in September. Some media reports suggest that the Prime minister’s office has been instructed to follow up personally monitor the progress of the project Loon. At this juncture, especially in the backdrop of the objections raised by important ministries, it will be interesting to see at which direction the conversation between Pichai and Modi steers when they meet later this month.
Project Loon is all about using high altitude balloons, to be set up 18 kms above sea level. These balloons will create and aerial wireless network with up to 4G-LTE speeds and will be able to transmit the network up to a distance of 40 kms in diameter. If successfully implemented, project Loon could actually be a realization of PM Modi’s election promise of getting the entire country connected through internet.
According to Google, the balloons can be sent anywhere they are needed because they can rise and descend into a stratum of air blowing in the desired direction of travel. What do you think about this interesting concept? DO you believe that Google should also try it out across the globe for global connectivity? Let us know through the comments section below or through our social media channels.