Google Wifi Internet Looms

According to reports in the Australian news paper today, Google has held high level discussions with Australian Telcos in attempt to recruit them in Google’s Project Loon.

 

Google started Project Loon in June 2013 in New Zealand in a bid to deliver wifi internet to remote areas. Project Loon uses weather balloons which fly at high altitude to network between in each and enable people below to connect to the internet using special antennas.

 

It is reported that mobile spectrum held by Australian Telcos such as Telstra and Optus could be used for transmission of the Wifi signals.

 

Google describes the technology on its Project Loon website as:

Project Loon balloons float in the stratosphere, twice as high as airplanes and the weather. They are carried around the Earth by winds and they can be steered by rising or descending to an altitude with winds moving in the desired direction. People connect to the balloon network using a special Internet antenna attached to their building. The signal bounces from balloon to balloon, then to the global Internet back on Earth.

It is expected that following the New Zealand trials, Google will move to test the technology in Tasmania.

For a further explanation of the technology check out the video:

Project Loon