Myth – This does not mean that Google will take over telecom companies and the telecom companies will go bust (at least not in the near future). It just means that Google AND the telecom providers will work TOGETHER to bring about a solution. So next time you go say ‘ha ha to Dialog or Mobitel’, remember that its them laughing at you.
July 28, 2015 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s government and Google on Tuesday signed an agreement to cover the Island with 3G internet under ‘Google Loon project’.
Sri Lanka is the first country in the world to have Internet access covering the whole country with the government support, Google Vice President and Project Leader on GoogleX Project Loon Mike Cassidy said.
Project Loon is the latest moonshot from Google[x]: balloon-powered Internet access.
It is a network of balloons traveling on the edge of space, designed to connect people in rural and remote areas, help fill in coverage gaps and bring people back online after disasters.
It is expected to place 13 balloons above Sri Lanka over the next few months and internet service providers will have to connect this network through these ‘floating towers’ which will ultimately reduce their transmission costs.
“Matara covered or Jaffna covered is now history. In a few months we will be able to say Sri Lanka covered,” addressing the signing ceremony Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera said.
The project is handled by ICTA with the collaboration of former Facebook executive Chamath Palihapitiya who now represents lotus flare, a leading mobile content provider.
Another Source
Sri Lanka's Telecom Minister Mangala Samaraweera said the Google Loon balloons will cover every village from Dondra to Point Pedro, in reference to the northernmost and Southernmost points in the island.
"…Sri Lanka is on its way to becoming the very first country in the world to have network connectivity cover the entire country," he said.
"Allow me to conclude by saying that I am proud to declare that we are at the cusp of a reclaiming our heritage of being connected to each other and connected to the world. In a few months we will truly be able to say: Sri Lanka. Covered."
The deal was signed in Prime Minister Ranil Wickeremsinghe's office in Colombo with Google Loon Team Leader Mike Cassidy visiting Sri Lanka.
The Google Loon balloons have LTE standard transceivers which can connect to cell phone networks filling gaps in their networks.
"Service providers will enter in to agreements with "floating cell towers" that will be shared bringing down transmission costs leading to further reductions in cost of service provision," de Silva said.
"This should give more space for them to improve technology, content and service.
"All in all I feel today's agreement will certainly provide a huge boost to our game plan to create a knowledge based highly competitive social market economy that will help every household achieve their own dreams.
Yet Another Source...
Internet is a good thing. Internet is a bad thing. Internet is accessible for all. Internet is not available for all. What is the truth?
Internet is indeed a good thing. The internet provides a gateway for us to access the world wide web (That is just one feature of the internet). Through the www, we have access to upto the minute information from political news to the latest breakthroughs in any field (specially the tech field).
Internet is indeed a bad thing. Through the internet, it allows hackers to control your connected devices if its not safely connected. It gives you access to unnecessary content which not only waste your time, but also hurts your health (since you could get agitated for no reason, thus increasing your blood pressure etc..). Gossip, political mud slinging are just a few examples.
Internet is accessible for all. For people in Colombo at least, we have very good coverage. So we assume everyone else does too. So we create solutions thinking that everyone has equal opportunties to access it.
Internet is not available for all. Yes, there are some parts in Sri Lanka (and other parts of the world too) where internet is not accessible due to various reasons, mostly it being that service providers have no way to create a link to set up bases to transmit signal for them to access.
So that is where Project Loon comes in. It gives a means for service providers to share the Loon Balloons (aka ‘floating cell towers’) offered by Google thereby reducing transmission costs and as a result reduce costs in internet plans to the end user.
Today (28th July 2015), Project Loon was officially launched with signing by government of Sri Lanka and Google.
Myth – This does not mean that Google will take over telecom companies and the telecom companies will go bust (at least not in the near future). It just means that Google AND the telecom providers will work TOGETHER to bring about a solution. So next time you go say ‘ha ha to Dialog or Mobitel’, remember that its them laughing at you.
Have a look at this 2 min video too to get educated. Go Google or Bing more by typing ‘Project Loon’. We need an educated society, use the internet for it, go on, if anyone can, Sri Lankan!
July 28, 2015 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s government and Google on Tuesday signed an agreement to cover the Island with 3G internet under ‘Google Loon project’.
Sri Lanka is the first country in the world to have Internet access covering the whole country with the government support, Google Vice President and Project Leader on GoogleX Project Loon Mike Cassidy said.
Project Loon is the latest moonshot from Google[x]: balloon-powered Internet access.
It is a network of balloons traveling on the edge of space, designed to connect people in rural and remote areas, help fill in coverage gaps and bring people back online after disasters.
It is expected to place 13 balloons above Sri Lanka over the next few months and internet service providers will have to connect this network through these ‘floating towers’ which will ultimately reduce their transmission costs.
“Matara covered or Jaffna covered is now history. In a few months we will be able to say Sri Lanka covered,” addressing the signing ceremony Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera said.
The project is handled by ICTA with the collaboration of former Facebook executive Chamath Palihapitiya who now represents lotus flare, a leading mobile content provider.
Another Source
Sri Lanka's Telecom Minister Mangala Samaraweera said the Google Loon balloons will cover every village from Dondra to Point Pedro, in reference to the northernmost and Southernmost points in the island.
"…Sri Lanka is on its way to becoming the very first country in the world to have network connectivity cover the entire country," he said.
"Allow me to conclude by saying that I am proud to declare that we are at the cusp of a reclaiming our heritage of being connected to each other and connected to the world. In a few months we will truly be able to say: Sri Lanka. Covered."
The deal was signed in Prime Minister Ranil Wickeremsinghe's office in Colombo with Google Loon Team Leader Mike Cassidy visiting Sri Lanka.
The Google Loon balloons have LTE standard transceivers which can connect to cell phone networks filling gaps in their networks.
"Service providers will enter in to agreements with "floating cell towers" that will be shared bringing down transmission costs leading to further reductions in cost of service provision," de Silva said.
"This should give more space for them to improve technology, content and service.
"All in all I feel today's agreement will certainly provide a huge boost to our game plan to create a knowledge based highly competitive social market economy that will help every household achieve their own dreams.
Yet Another Source...
Internet is a good thing. Internet is a bad thing. Internet is accessible for all. Internet is not available for all. What is the truth?
Internet is indeed a good thing. The internet provides a gateway for us to access the world wide web (That is just one feature of the internet). Through the www, we have access to upto the minute information from political news to the latest breakthroughs in any field (specially the tech field).
Internet is indeed a bad thing. Through the internet, it allows hackers to control your connected devices if its not safely connected. It gives you access to unnecessary content which not only waste your time, but also hurts your health (since you could get agitated for no reason, thus increasing your blood pressure etc..). Gossip, political mud slinging are just a few examples.
Internet is accessible for all. For people in Colombo at least, we have very good coverage. So we assume everyone else does too. So we create solutions thinking that everyone has equal opportunties to access it.
Internet is not available for all. Yes, there are some parts in Sri Lanka (and other parts of the world too) where internet is not accessible due to various reasons, mostly it being that service providers have no way to create a link to set up bases to transmit signal for them to access.
So that is where Project Loon comes in. It gives a means for service providers to share the Loon Balloons (aka ‘floating cell towers’) offered by Google thereby reducing transmission costs and as a result reduce costs in internet plans to the end user.
Today (28th July 2015), Project Loon was officially launched with signing by government of Sri Lanka and Google.
Myth – This does not mean that Google will take over telecom companies and the telecom companies will go bust (at least not in the near future). It just means that Google AND the telecom providers will work TOGETHER to bring about a solution. So next time you go say ‘ha ha to Dialog or Mobitel’, remember that its them laughing at you.
Have a look at this 2 min video too to get educated. Go Google or Bing more by typing ‘Project Loon’. We need an educated society, use the internet for it, go on, if anyone can, Sri Lankan!
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