Google developing high-altitude blimps to bring WiFi to Africa

Google plans to bring WiFi to remote parts of Africa and Asia using low frequency white space television airwaves.

Google has been pushing the idea of using white space television airwaves for Internet transmission since 2008, and they’re finally making some headway in remote parts of Africa. Since white space channels allow for transmission of WiFi data on a low frequency band, they can provide Internet access over long distances and not worry about thick walls degrading signal strength (like what we generally experience with more traditional WiFi routers).

Using a series of high-altitude balloons or blimps, they will float around the Cape Town area providing Internet access to 10 schools as part of the trial. There are also reports that Google is developing a low-cost Android cellphone that will also use the white space spectrum to act as a long-range WiFi broadcasting device.

White space bands are traditionally used for international communication, with some bands not being used to maintain separation from each other as to prevent transmission interference. They’ve actually been pushing for usage of these bands in the US since 2010 and are working on an extensive database on available white space bands.

Source: Vyralize