Facebook is planning to use solar powered satellites and planes in testing internet services and other telecom connectivity technologies that it is developing today. The reason for such tests is to know the possibilities of providing free internet access in the unconnected and remote areas and regions in India and other developing countries.
The social media giant is spearheading the internet.org program which focus is to be able to offer free web services to remote areas by working on tools that will help the internet reach the unconnected.
"We are working closely on these technologies in our connectivity labs. They are in early stages of development," Chris Daniels, Facebook Vice President of internet.org, explained the Mobile World Congress held in Barcelona, according to India Times.
Daniels mentioned that the social media mogul is working on alternate web technologies more than the usual ways of providing connectivity which includes the use of satellites and solar planes. The reason why the company thought about using solar powered planes is that it can reach up high and get solar power and provide connectivity. Planes cover wider area, solar planes can be fuelled by the sun and will not need a generator like that in the ground, a potential way of providing connectivity, Tech2 reported.
Facebook is also expecting technologies to pull down the cost of internet considerably.
Internet.org was launched in India together with Reliance Communications. It is an acquisition tool, there will be a 40 percent data increase for consumers of operators who will turn on internet.org. The org is helping the net operators to have more paying subscribers.