Google's Project Loon is a research and development project being developed with the mission of providing Internet access to rural and remote areas. The project uses high-altitude balloons placed in the stratosphere at an altitude of about 18 km to create an aerial wireless network with up to 4G-LTE speeds. It was named Project Loon since Google itself found the very idea of providing internet access to the remaining 5 billion population unprecedented and crazy. To achieve that aim Google has partnered with many countries locally to provide internet access through Project Loon in the remote areas of those countries. India is also among several countries with whom Google is in business for its project Loon.
In the recent move for the success of project Loon, the Government Of India has asked Google to choose a telecom partner for its highly anticipated project in India. In an official statement, Government said, "Google wants to test the Loon Project inexpensive and scarce spectrum bands. It has been asked to partner with any telecom operator that can meet its requirement and then approach the government for testing Loon". The official also said that if Google wishes to conduct a test with Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL), it can carry out the experiment in the spectrum held by the state-owned company.
“This approach should resolve the spectrum band sought by Google as well as security, to some extent,” the official added. In India, Google has approached the government to set up the Loon Project that has the potential to replace mobile towers as it can directly transmit signal on 4G mobile phones. The telecom ministry has formed a panel under the information technology secretary and asked BSNL to look at providing necessary support for the experiment. Meetings for the same were held in October-November. The project hit a roadblock after Google sought to conduct the test in 700 megahertz (MHz) or 800 MHz band instead of 2,500 MHz band that BSNL holds.
The 700 Mhz band is the most expensive and efficient spectrum for telecom services and is yet to be allocated to any service provider. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has suggested including this spectrum in an upcoming auction at a minimum price of Rs.11,485 crore per MHz and a company will require buying a minimum of 5 MHz. Google, under its Project Loon, is using big balloons floating at a height of 20 km above the earth surface for transmission of Internet services. It has already tested this technology in New Zealand, US, Brazil and Srilanka. As per Google, each balloon can provide connectivity to a ground area of about 40 km in diameter using LTE (long-term evolution) or 4G. Google uses solar panel and wind to power electronic equipment in the balloon throughout the day.
Also Read: Google Internet balloon enters Sri Lanka for Project Loon tests
Google has yet not responded to the latest move and its opinion on the same is still awaited.
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