Google Spending $1-3 Billion On 180 Satellites To Spread Global Internet Access

Google is always up to some kind of new innovation and their latest one is certainly an interesting one. Google is apparently planning to spend a whopping $1-3 billion on launching 180 satellites into low orbit which will provide global internet connections, particularly important for under-served areas who lack any form of internet access. The satellite project seems like an compliment to, or potentially a replacement of, Google’s Project Loon which offered a similar idea in that it provides internet connectivity to remote and rural areas all over the world but it uses large air balloons instead of satellites.

On the whole this satellite internet project from Google is a good thing: internet access for under-served populations, particularly those in low income countries, can have revolutionary impacts. We’ve all seen the great benefits the internet has to offer on multiple aspects of our life whether it be trade, commerce, social interactions and so on. However, there has to be a certain suspicion aroused by a project in which Google is seeking to dominate the global provision of internet to the majority of the world’s population – believe it or not most of the world population are still without it (61% are without by the most recent estimates). Undoubtedly Google are happy to sink such a large amount of money into this project because they expect to easily make the money back through advertising and increase usage of the services they provide.

What do you think of Google’s plan to provide global internet through a satellite network?

Source: Wall Street Journal, Via: Engadget

Image courtesy of NASA/GSFC/Landsat, Flickr