Google reportedly plans to spend between $1 billion and $3 billion to buy and deploy a fleet of low-orbit satellites to provide internet access in underserved areas.
The company will extend its Project Loon – an initiative to provide internet access via high-altitude balloons - with the satellite project, the Wall Street Journalsaid, citing sources.
Details are not yet set, but Google plans to start with an initial 180 small but high-capacity low-orbit satellites.
They will complement the planned Project Loon balloons, and potentially drones provided by Google's recent acquisition Titan Aerospace, in providing internet access to unconnected areas.
According to the sources, Google hopes to eventually cover the world with satellites. The project is being led by O3b Networks founder and recent Google hire Greg Wyler, and Google has been recruiting engineers from Space Systems/Loral to work on the initiative.
Advances in satellite and antenna technology could make deploying a fleet of internet-delivering satellites a better, and more comparable in price, option than deploying the balloons for Project Loon.
Google and Facebook are competing to bring internet access to the unconnected. In late March, Facebook announced a project to use laser drones to deliver internet connectivity.