Facebook, Google junk plan for satellite

San Francisco: Google and Facebook have reportedly shelved their ambitions plans to connect the world through satellites. According to reports published by various tech websites, Facebook has decided against the $1-billion satellite plan because of the massive costs involved and the company was not be sure whether it would be able to recover the costs from the project.

 

Both Google and Facebook have been looking at ways to bring the Web to more and more people. Google has also scaled back its investment in satellites, a report by The Information said.

 

Facebook had planned to use the satellite to deliver the Internet to parts of the developing world, either for free or for a low cost, in an attempt to increase their user numbers

The two companies have also looked at balloons and drones as other ways to spread wireless internet across undeserved areas. 

 

It is learnt that Google had the same dilemma before it started the Loon project, which focuses on using high-altitude balloons to relay Internet signals to remote areas of the globe.

 

Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg in March outlined efforts by the company’s Connectivity Lab to build drones, satellites and lasers to provide Internet access in remote corners of the world.

 

Connectivity Lab, according to Mr Zuckerberg, had hired personnel from Nasa’s Jet Propulsion Lab and Ames Research Centre as well as from Ascenta, which produced the world’s longest-flying solar-powered unmanned aircraft.