By Ellie Zolfagharifard | Mail Online
The world wide web may seem like a global community, but two-thirds of the planet still remain without access.
Now, Google is planning to change this by launching a fleet of 180 satellites to provide web access for the 4.8 billion people not yet online, according to sources close to the company.
The
California-based giant will spend more than $1 billion (£600 million)
on the technology, which will rival Facebook’s efforts to connect remote
regions of the world.Details remain vague, but the Wall Street Journal reports that the satellites will be small and high-capacity, and will orbit the Earth at ‘lower altitudes than traditional satellites.’
Google’s venture is being led by Greg Wyler, founder of satellite-communications start-up O3b Networks, and depending on the network’s final design, the group may double the number of proposed satellites.
The project is the latest venture from a Silicon Valley to connect the world to the internet in the hopes of boosting revenues.
A separate project by Google, dubbed Project Loon, is designing high-altitude balloons to provide broadband service to remote parts of the world.
[...]
Companies such as Facebook and Google have a checkered history with privacy, and many have voiced concerns about how the site could use drones to collect data about people.
In theory, the drones could be used to take aerial images, or collect details about wireless networks and individuals.
As Facebook and Google’s drones will be used to provide internet to people home’s, there will need to be a limited amount of data collection to connect the homes to the network.
Read the full article at: dailymail.co.uk
