Latest Breaking News

Judi Lynn

(160,601 posts) Fri Oct 6, 2017, 10:39 PM Oct 2017

Google gets green light to provide cell service in Puerto Rico using balloons

Source: The Hill

BY JULIA MANCHESTER - 10/06/17 10:17 PM EDT

The parent company of Google received the green light on Friday to provide emergency cellular service to hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico using balloons.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced it had granted Alphabet Inc. permission to use solar power balloons to bring cellular service to the island, which has been left largely without power since Hurricane Maria hit last month.

"FCC issues experimental license to Google to provide emergency cellular service in Puerto Rico through Project Loon balloons," Matthew Berry, chief of staff to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, wrote on Twitter.

Pai said on Friday he was launching a Hurricane Recovery Task Force focused on providing aid to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Read more: http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/354348-google-gets-green-light-to-provide-cell-service-in-puerto-rico

15 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Google gets green light to provide cell service in Puerto Rico using balloons (Original Post) Judi Lynn Oct 2017 OP

Well how cool and terribly needed........... Old Vet Oct 2017 #1

What a great idea! procon Oct 2017 #2

Ahem--------- Atticus Oct 2017 #3

Oh, yeah? Judi Lynn Oct 2017 #7

That was - and is - a great idea! Chemisse Oct 2017 #15

Google to use balloons to provide Puerto Rico cell service Judi Lynn Oct 2017 #4

About time. eppur_se_muova Oct 2017 #5

Disaster Capitalism snort Oct 2017 #6

As opposed to, what, exactly? christx30 Oct 2017 #12

I know where they can get the hot air to inflate the balloons. Yavin4 Oct 2017 #8

Excellent. Our federal gov't/military could have done something similar, but glad private industry iluvtennis Oct 2017 #9

Well, that is the Libertarian/GOP way... Crash2Parties Oct 2017 #10

I sincerely hope that Puerto Rico is rebuildt with tbe best innovative technology kimbutgar Oct 2017 #11

There is the opportunity right now. So many are still in riversedge Oct 2017 #14

Wonder if the giovernment whistler162 Oct 2017 #13

Old Vet

(2,001 posts)

1. Well how cool and terribly needed...........

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Fri Oct 6, 2017, 10:43 PM

Oct 2017

procon

(15,805 posts)

2. What a great idea!

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Fri Oct 6, 2017, 10:44 PM

Oct 2017

If they still have cell phones and some way to charge them, it sounds like a doable solution.

Atticus

(15,124 posts)

3. Ahem---------

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Fri Oct 6, 2017, 10:50 PM

Oct 2017

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10029639937, posted on 9-26.

Judi Lynn

(160,601 posts)

7. Oh, yeah?

Reply to Atticus (Reply #3)

Sat Oct 7, 2017, 12:31 AM

Oct 2017

Atticus (2,648 posts) Tue Sep 26, 2017, 07:35 PM

This may be crazy, but---

Since nearly all of the cell phone towers in Puerto Rico were destroyed and, therefore, there's almost no signal available anywhere, could tethered weather balloons or something similar temporarily substitute for the towers? Don't know the weight of the equipment that would have to be elevated, so maybe not feasible. I understand there are other concerns, but would this be possible to improve communication?

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10029639937

~ ~ ~

Looks as if someone, maybe the Rooskies, have been stealing your ideas!

Very interesting!

Chemisse

(30,816 posts)

15. That was - and is - a great idea!

Reply to Atticus (Reply #3)

Sat Oct 7, 2017, 07:27 AM

Oct 2017

You never know, maybe they got it from you.

Judi Lynn

(160,601 posts)

4. Google to use balloons to provide Puerto Rico cell service

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Fri Oct 6, 2017, 11:51 PM

Oct 2017

OCTOBER 6, 2017 / 9:53 PM / UPDATED AN HOUR AGO

David Shepardson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Communications Commission said late on Friday it had approved Alphabet Inc’s application to provide emergency cellular service to Puerto Rico through balloons.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico has struggled to regain communications services. The FCC said on Friday that 83 percent of cell sites remain out of service, while wireless communications company are deploying temporary sites.

Alphabet, which announced its Project Loon in 2013 to use solar-powered, high-altitude balloons to provide internet service in remote regions, said in an FCC filing it was working to “support licensed mobile carriers’ restoration of limited communications capability” in Puerto Rico.

Earlier on Friday, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai announced he was forming a Hurricane Recovery Task Force with an emphasis on addressing challenges facing Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

More:
http://in.reuters.com/article/usa-puertorico-cellular/google-to-use-balloons-to-provide-puerto-rico-cell-service-idINKBN1CC03B

eppur_se_muova

(36,281 posts)

5. About time.

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Fri Oct 6, 2017, 11:57 PM

Oct 2017

What's the point of years of R&D if nobody ever uses the things ?

snort

(2,334 posts)

6. Disaster Capitalism

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Fri Oct 6, 2017, 11:59 PM

Oct 2017

christx30

(6,241 posts)

12. As opposed to, what, exactly?

Reply to snort (Reply #6)

Sat Oct 7, 2017, 01:54 AM

Oct 2017

Waiting on local cell towers to be rebuilt from the ground up?

Yavin4

(35,445 posts)

8. I know where they can get the hot air to inflate the balloons.

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Sat Oct 7, 2017, 12:49 AM

Oct 2017

And there's plenty of it.

iluvtennis

(19,868 posts)

9. Excellent. Our federal gov't/military could have done something similar, but glad private industry

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Sat Oct 7, 2017, 12:55 AM

Oct 2017

is stepping up to the plate

Crash2Parties

(6,017 posts)

10. Well, that is the Libertarian/GOP way...

Reply to iluvtennis (Reply #9)

Sat Oct 7, 2017, 01:27 AM

Oct 2017

kimbutgar

(21,181 posts)

11. I sincerely hope that Puerto Rico is rebuildt with tbe best innovative technology

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Sat Oct 7, 2017, 01:35 AM

Oct 2017

The full solar energy, underground infrastructure and geothermal technology. My dream.

riversedge

(70,285 posts)

14. There is the opportunity right now. So many are still in

Reply to kimbutgar (Reply #11)

Sat Oct 7, 2017, 06:04 AM

Oct 2017

survival mode right now but .............it is a good dream.

whistler162

(11,155 posts)

13. Wonder if the giovernment

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Sat Oct 7, 2017, 05:03 AM

Oct 2017

both territory and federal will take, the unfortunate, advantage and work to have fiber run under ground to as many areas as possible along with electrity? Probably not would make too much sense and be to experimental.

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