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Internet Access in Rural Areas

PostPosted: Sun Jun 16, 2013 7:12 am
by pcslim
Google Launches Internet-beaming Balloons :pac:
Not sure if this is meant to be a temporary solution to restore internet connections after a disaster or something that is supposed to be a long-term solution to bring internet connectivity to remote locations. Or maybe it's supposed to be a viable solution in either situation. Doesn't seem like it would provide stable service though.
Google tests giant balloons to connect 50 New Zealand homes to the internet. It says the technology could bring websurfing to remote corners of the world.


Re: Internet Access in Rural Areas

PostPosted: Sun Jun 16, 2013 10:55 am
by MojaveMike
Balloon Based Net-Access: Google's 'Project Loon'
Fast and cheap? That's a great idea! Sounds like people who rely on this system will be at the mercy of the weather since the balloons will just blow around the planet. Of course, if the balloons blow out of range then looking up the weather forecast won't be a way of figuring out if internet access is coming your way or not. BTW, the report insists that this isn't just one of Google's April Fools jokes.
Google is working on a project to bring affordable Internet to parts of the world that currently does not have it using balloons.


Re: Internet Access in Rural Areas

PostPosted: Sat Aug 10, 2013 10:40 am
by a2z
Bill Gates Isn't Too Happy with Google's Project Loon
It seems to me that not everyone in developing countries has malaria and so perhaps Gates is overly fixated on a single problem faced by people living in third-world countries.
:roll2:

Re: Internet Access in Rural Areas

PostPosted: Sun Aug 11, 2013 6:14 am
by surfsteve
Gates is mad because he didn't think of it. It's actually a pretty good idea. Balloons aren't cheap to you and me but compared to launching a communications satellite they cost almost nothing.


Re: Internet Access in Rural Areas

PostPosted: Sat Apr 19, 2014 6:49 am
by BallaratBob
Google Acquires Drone Maker - What Could Go Wrong?
The idea is to use these drones to make the internet available in rural areas. Basically that's a good idea, but what are the possible pitfalls? BTW, Facebook wanted to buy the company too, but Google outbid them.

Re: Internet Access in Rural Areas

PostPosted: Mon Aug 04, 2014 9:27 am
by desertrat
Hate Your ISP? Maybe You Need Community Fiber
This might be a way to put some pressure on your ISP to improve service and to lower cost. Why do we have to pay more for less? The companies offer a bunch of excuses, but that's all they are is excuses!
People love to complain about the speed of their Internet access and with good reason. International surveys regularly show that we pay more, for less, than many other countries.

LINK: https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2014/07/hate-your-isp-maybe-you-need-community-fiber

Re: Internet Access in Rural Areas

PostPosted: Mon Aug 04, 2014 9:31 am
by desertrat
U.S. Struggles to Keep Pace in Delivering Broadband Service
We're not number one by a long shot!!! We're rapidly becoming a third-world country when it comes to connectivity! And to add insult to injury, we (customers) pay way more for way less! Companies like Verizon and ATT work together so they can offer as little as possible for the highest possible price. I'm really sick of this BS!!!
:curse:
The World Economic Forum ranked the United States 35th out of 148 countries in Internet bandwidth, a measure of available capacity in a country. Other studies rank the United States anywhere from 14th to 31st in average connection speed.

LINK: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/30/technology/us-struggling-to-keep-pace-in-broadband-service.html

Re: Internet Access in Rural Areas

PostPosted: Thu Oct 29, 2015 6:39 pm
by mrgreen
Balloons Will Bring Internet To Remote Areas Of Indonesia
It only takes 300 of these balloons to make a continuous ring around the world... and you thought plastic shopping bags were a problem!
:laugh:

Re: Internet Access in Rural Areas

PostPosted: Sat Nov 28, 2015 6:36 pm
by twister
SBC Wireless
This is an option people in Searles Valley have for internet. It's faster, but more expensive, than Verizon. Anyone test it out yet? If it's more reliable and consistently fast, then it might be the best option available.
http://www.sbc-wireless.com/

Re: Internet Access in Rural Areas

PostPosted: Mon Jul 11, 2016 6:45 am
by panamint_patty
How Close Are We To Giving The Entire World Internet?
Facebook and Google both have ideas for expanding internet access, but neither plan is really all that impressive as far as I'm concerned.