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YEREVAN, OCTOBER 29, ARMENPRESS. Google believes it is on course to have enough internet-beaming balloons in the stratosphere to form a ring over part of the world next year.
“Armepress” reports referring to BBC that the declaration coincides with the announcement that three of Indonesia's mobile networks intend to start testing Project Loon's transmissions next year.
Google first revealed its superpressure balloon plan in June 2013, when about 30 of the inflatable plastic "envelopes" were launched from New Zealand.
"[We need] about 300 balloons or so to make a continuous string around the world," Mike Cassidy, vice-president of Project Loon, told the BBC.
"As one moves along with the wind out of range, another one comes to take its place.
"We hope next year to build our first continuous ring around the world, and to have some sort of continuous coverage for certain regions.
"And if all goes well after, then after that we will start rolling out our first beta commercial customers."
Because each balloon only provides connectivity to a ground area 40km (24.9 miles) in diameter below it, the initial ring will be limited to a relatively small part of the planet as it circles a section of the Southern Hemisphere.
Then they will start testings in New Zealand, Australia, USA and Brazil.