Google Internet Balloon Spinoff Loon Still Looking For Its Wings (reuters.com) 17
Google's bet on balloons to deliver cell service soon faces a crucial test amid doubts about the viability of the technology by some potential customers. From a report: The company behind the effort, Loon says its balloons will reach Kenya in the coming weeks for its first commercial trial. The test with Telkom Kenya, the nation's No. 3 carrier, will let mountain villagers buy 4G service at market-rate prices for an undefined period. Kenya's aviation authority said its final approval would be signed this month. Hatched in 2011, Loon aims to bring connectivity to remote parts of the world by floating solar-powered networking gear over areas where cell towers would be too expensive to build.
Its tennis-court-sized helium balloons have demonstrated utility. Over the last three years, Loon successfully let wireless carriers in Peru and Puerto Rico use balloons for free to supplant cell phone towers downed by natural disasters. Kenyan officials are enthusiastic as they try to bring more citizens online. But executives at five other wireless carriers courted by Loon across four continents told Reuters that Loon is not a fit currently, and may never be. Those companies, including Telkom Indonesia, Vodafone New Zealand and French giant Orange, say Loon must demonstrate its technology is reliable, safe and profitable for carriers.
Its tennis-court-sized helium balloons have demonstrated utility. Over the last three years, Loon successfully let wireless carriers in Peru and Puerto Rico use balloons for free to supplant cell phone towers downed by natural disasters. Kenyan officials are enthusiastic as they try to bring more citizens online. But executives at five other wireless carriers courted by Loon across four continents told Reuters that Loon is not a fit currently, and may never be. Those companies, including Telkom Indonesia, Vodafone New Zealand and French giant Orange, say Loon must demonstrate its technology is reliable, safe and profitable for carriers.
Save the helium whales! (Score:2)
Stop wasting the helium. Seriously. We need the helium for other projects and purposes.
Solution approach time. Build 'em to burn.
Use cheap hydrogen, which we have plenty of and which works better anyway. But design them in expectation of catching fire. At any moment and in ways that cannot be predicted reliably. Essentially that means the heavy gondola needs to be ready to detach at any time, even under possibly explosive circumstances. The gondola needs to drop clear and then glide or parachute to some saf
99 Lyft Ballons (Score:2)
I really wanted to make some kind of joke tying in Google balloons with the classic Nena song, but that was as close as I could get. Maybe someone else here will have better luck!
In a world... (Score:1)
where people are willing to flash laser pointers and fly drones at commercial aircraft, how long does anyone expect these things to stay airborne?
Re: (Score:2)
where people are willing to flash laser pointers and fly drones at commercial aircraft, how long does anyone expect these things to stay airborne?
If your flash laser pointer and/or drone can take out balloons at 65K feet of altitude, you have bigger fish to go after.