Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOGL) (NASDAQ:GOOG) has plans of making huge investments in satellites worth more than $1 billion with an ambition of connecting all the regions of the world with internet that lack access currently. The company’s efforts have been unsuccessful in the past owing to certain financial and technical problems, which it hopes to overcome this time as informed by people aware with the project undertaken by Google, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The project is said to start with nearly 180 small satellites of high capacity and later on expand. These satellites will orbit the earth at lower altitudes than traditional satellites.
Project cost could escalate
Startup O3b Networks Ltd. is a satellite communications, and its founder, Greg Wyler is leading the satellite venture of Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOGL) (NASDAQ:GOOG). Wyler, along with former chief technology officer of O3b, joined Google recently. A person, who knows about the hiring initiatives undertaken by the company, has informed that for the purpose of the successful project completion, Google has been hiring engineers from the satellite company Space Systems/Loral LLC.
At Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOGL) (NASDAQ:GOOG), Mr. Wyler has a team of 10-20 people, who work as per his instructions and he reports to Craig Barratt, who in turn reports to Larry Page, the Chief Executive Officer of the company.
The project’s cost could not be evaluated accurately as few factors could lead to soaring high prices such as a changes in the network’s design till finalization and increase in the number of satellites because of which the project could cost anything between $1-3 billion or even more.
Google, Facebook in race
This project by Google is an effort to extend internet coverage to help the company’s business on the planet. Both Google and Facebook are looking forward to gaining maximum number of internet users for boosting their revenues and earnings, and are therefore reaching out to areas still out of internet coverage range.
Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOGL) (NASDAQ:GOOG) through its Project Loon aims at reaching all the remote areas of the world with its services. Solar powered drones that provide broadband internet connectivity are being built by Titan Aerospace which in April was acquired by Google. Facebook too has a drone effort of its own.
Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOGL) (NASDAQ:GOOG) is focusing on bringing hundreds of millions of additional people online, according to a spokesperson from the company. “Internet connectivity significantly improves people’s lives. Yet two thirds of the world have no access at all,” she said.
