The Future of the Internet is a Series of Balloons

There are a number of initiatives around the country and the world to bring internet to those that don’t have access. From inner cities to the furthest regions of the planet, there’s stiff competition to provide access to those that don’t have it. Who are the biggest players? At the moment it’s Google, Facebook and Elon Musk’s SpaceX. This is a look into those initiatives.

Google recently announced that they’re working to bridge the digital divide in Austin, TX with a pilot program to bring high-speed internet services to 4,300 people living in public housing.

In Austin, Google is helping to bridge that gap by offering its Google Fiber high-speed Internet service to the 4,300 people who live in public housing offered by the Housing Authority of the City of Austin (HACA). Once a household signs on, they get 10 years of free service (and the option to upgrade to more premium services at any time).

This is a contribution to a larger Austin initiative called Unlocking the Connection with other organizations bringing computers and training to the table.

In June of 2013 Google launched Project Loon with the release of 30 weather ballon sized devices that will share internet in the Canterbury region of New Zealand. They plan to launch an additional 20 more balloons, which manage to stay in a fixed location, giving internet access to remote regions of the country. If all goes well we’ll continue to see the launch of these balloons in remote areas of the world, providing access to those that might never see it.

Google also purchased a drone manufacturer, Titan Aerospace, creator of solar powered drones. The drones, which are capable of staying in the air for five years at a time, may also contribute to the Google Loon project.

Google recently filed an application with the FCC to broadcast internet access from the sky. In addition to providing internet connectivity they may provide on-the-go imaging and monitoring services.

“These systems may eventually be used to provide Internet connections in remote areas or help monitor environmental damage, such as oil spills or deforestation. The STA [Special Temporary Authority] is needed for demonstration and testing of [REDACTED] in a carefully controlled environment.”

Facebook is also interested in bringing internet to the billions without it and made a $60 million bid on Titan Aerospace, the company Google eventually purchased. With only a third of the world’s population online Facebook wants to change that, for obvious reasons. They’re teamed up with Ericsson, Nokia, Qualcomm, Samsung and others to tackle the issue of bringing the web to the other two-thirds of the global population.

Internet.org, the group Facebook founded to tackle this issue, is taking on three specific challenges. Affordability; data efficiency; and access itself.

The internet isn’t accessible for two thirds of the world. Imagine a world where it connects us all. #ConnectTheWorld http://t.co/ChPLM4AP3N

— Internet.org (@internet_org) August 21, 2013

Elon Musk is in talks to bring global internet access using a series of micro-satellites, about 700 in total weighing less than 250 lbs. each. The project would cost about a billion dollars to start and launch the largest fleet of satellites in existence. SpaceX plans on making an announcement within the next two to three months.

SpaceX is still in the early stages of developing advanced micro-satellites operating in large formations. Announcement in 2 to 3 months.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 11, 2014

As you can see there are serious efforts underway to bring internet to both remote and unconnected areas of the planet. It’ll be interesting to see who gets to that goal first. It’s difficult for me to put my money on any one outcome, what I’d like to see is Facebook, Google and SpaceX, along with their partners, collaborate to connect the rest of the world.

One thing you can count on is if there’s a will there’s a way and we’ll begin to see connectivity in the remotest of regions very soon.