Now, high speed internet access via balloon

Now, high speed internet access via balloon
Source: IANS. Image Source: IS
London, Oct 20: Scientists have for the first time tested a super fast data downlink provided by a stratospheric balloon floating 24,000 metres above the earth and such a craft could eventually help provide communications in disaster zones.

The 12,000-cubic metre helium balloon sent data to the ground at 1.25 gigabits per second - thousands of time the capacity of a home broadband Internet connection, reports the online edition of the New Scientist journal.

The airship test by a team of researchers led by Britain's University of York was conducted in Sweden. Scientists hope that such airships may eventually help in providing communications in disaster zones or low-cost access in the developing world.

David Grace, one of the scientists in the research team, said stratospheric communications balloons provided wireless alternatives to fixed Internet infrastructure.

"You could rapidly put communications infrastructure where it doesn't exist. In developing countries it could be a cheaper way to roll out, and you could do it incrementally, he said.

A BBC report said balloons hovering in the stratosphere could become an attractive alternative within three to five years as consumers demanding ever higher bandwidth.

Moreover, broadband via telephone lines had speed limitations while satellite was expensive and could support only a limited number of users, the report said.




It said the balloon could be an alternative to wired access in suburban areas where costs of roll out were high. It could also be offered on high-speed trains and in remote areas, the report said quoting an expert.

The cost of the balloon as compared to a satellite was also likely to be attractive, the report said.

"The launch cost of the infrastructure is likely to be one-tenth that of satellite and one airship can support a user density one thousand times that of a satellite," it said.

With each airship being able to support an area of 60 km, there would only need to be "a handful" to offer complete coverage in Britain. The trials of the technology will continue in Japan next year.