Google and Sri Lanka Consider Giant Internet-Beaming Balloons

4 August 2015. Google is in talks with Sri Lanka about delivering country-wide internet to the small country via giant floating balloons. Touted “Project Loon”, the idea is that the balloons will float above the country and beam down the internet, meaning that the whole country, including hard-to-reach rural areas, will have internet capabilities. Just 3 million Sri Lankans currently have access to the internet, out of a total population of 20 million people. If Project Loon goes ahead it would therefore be a game-changer in the Sri Lankan internet market. The balloons are scheduled to launch in March next year, although some commentators have said this seems like an overly optimistic timescale.
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