Google has unveiled its plan to provide Internet connectivity to people living in remote areas with the use of balloons, according to Wall Street Journal.
The tech giant's Project Loon focuses on positioning high-altitude balloons in the stratosphere to create an aerial wireless network.
The project was developed by Google's subdivision Google X, the department behind high-tech innovations such as the self-driving car, Google Glass and the drone deliver system Project Wing.
Project Loon was first unveiled last year and flew across the globe in a series of tests earlier this month. According to Astro Teller, head of Google X, the balloons flew above 60,000 feet and stayed afloat for about 100 days.
Through Long-Term Evolution (LTE) data system, the same wireless service used by smartphones, the balloons were able to provide mobile connectivity to the areas they traveled in, Wired reported.
"This is the poster child for Google X," Teller said. "The balloons are delivering 10x more bandwidth, 10x steer-ability, and are staying up 10x as long. That's the kind of progress that can only happen a few more times until we're in a problematically good place."
The conceptualization of Project Loon is the company's way to get more people online and reach a wider audience for its services.
According to a report from the United Nations' International Telecommunication Union, four billion people, or about 60% of the world's population, will still not have Internet access by the end of this year.
Majority of those people are living in developing countries.
Google believes through high-altitude balloons, the company will be able to reach those people and connect them to the Internet.
Currently, the company is relying on its partnerships with local mobile providers to deliver Internet service.
But, as Teller and industry analysts pointed out, it will be beneficial for Google to provide its own service due to the revenue that can be made with getting four billion people online, according to In The Capital.
Teller noted that Google is planning on officially unveiling Project Loon by next year.
