If you want to get the next billion connect why balloons? Why not a conventional grid? Why not improve internet service in Mumbai? Is there a more direct way to get the next billion connected? Does Google think there is no competition in these rural areas?
At least balloons are impossible to steal or sabotage, which might be a benefit for areas where no functional state is present (try Somalia). I can also imagine they are very cost efficient and fast to deploy to areas where connectivity is needed or is rapidly lost, say after an earthquake.
It is hard. Read this story about one similar rogue balloon from a few years back. The RCAF apparently fired over 1000 rounds into the balloon, and it still stayed aloft.
Because then you have to tear up the ground and maintain the grid's quality and physical security, this would involve managing relationships with numerous jurisdictions on many levels.
Also the bandwidth/latency needs are initially going to be quite a bit lower, which eases capacity planning.
You absolutely hit the nail on the head with this comment.
Furthermore, does every developing country want high bandwidth surveillance by developed countries? Because that's what a digitally unsophisticated populace and a crap-ton of smartphones with social networks, high resolution CCDs and IP telephony with dot gov access holes (eg. Skype) does...
Personally I think the China model (limit international bandwidth extensively, block or muck with traffic on larger foreign surveillance systems slash free web based services with invite buttons and 20-second polling apps with GPS requirements) actually has some decent properties in terms of decentralizing global power when viewed in this light: "ZOMG, furry foreign kittens!" They're like, exactly the same in China.
>>has some decent properties in terms of decentralizing global power
With modern transportation and communication infrastructure, I do not see a future for a decentralized government. In this light I strongly prefer America's stewardship compared China. I feel Chinese culture brings up people with integrity problems, the cheating I saw at the university translates directly to products that fall below expectation, and problems with intellectual property that encourage copying rather then innovating. Not to mention human rights and Democracy.
We both understand that China's model is motivated by the Chinese government trying to protect itself from the Chinese people.
Coming from someone who has actually lived in both countries, I find your comments quite uninformed in light of the US's well documented abuse of global human rights, eg. any book by Chomsky, Iraq/Afghan war logs, general foreign policy since forever and slavery before that. We all see that your media/military-industrial/government complex work for corporate masters, and we have watched them smash liberty after liberty with things like 'renditions', torture, exporting of torture equipment, training and military/diplomatic support for brutal dictators, attempts to undermine sovereignty in most of the world, massive white collar crime/fraud, destruction of freedom of the press, huge and growing poverty gap, no education without extreme wealth, lip service to health care... I could go on...
In China, people know where they stand, even if that's not a great place to be. Similarly, their standard of living has raised materially across all sectors of the population to degrees historically unprecedented over the last hundred years, which has to be recognized. In the US, where people are dying of obesity and alcoholism and fighting over access to shitty habit-forming stimulants, the following quote by - I believe - one of your founding fathers most certainly applies: There are no people so hopelessly enslaved as those who believe they are free.
I'm not condoning China's excesses, which are many and despicable, but for the average individual in much of the country it's arguably a better deal than the US.
Both countries are quite similar in my view: converging on a highly dynastically corrupt militarized police state with lip service to democratic principles and human rights.
>>There are no people so hopelessly enslaved as those who believe they are free.
What can I not do in the USA?
>>it's arguably a better deal than the US
Probably not true, given the unidirectional flow of immigration. Also the average household income is 8x less.
>>Both countries are quite similar in my view
I can't do business with Chinese companies, while I can with members of the civilized world. I see a strong difference in culture.
>>converging on a highly dynastically corrupt militarized police state
Having lived in Russia for 10 years I can tell you the USA isn't corrupt. You can get stuff done without paying bribes and your competitors doesn't go to the local politicians to shut you down, you aren't asked to do underhanded favors.
Good question. How about these: Rely on any real form of social security. Become meaningfully involved in politics without first becoming so indebted to corporate / special interest parties that your independence is essentially compromised. Start a financial services business of any real capacity without massive outside investment. Start most forms of large scale business without paying out millions of dollars to lawyers. Get a decent education without becoming stupendously in debt. Find ten people at the local pub that are able to meaningfully discuss politics, history, geography or philosophies beyond their borders. Eat much in the way of authentically decent food from other countries outside of a few extremely wealthy enclaves. Live easily and comfortably without a car. Live easily and comfortably without a cellphone. Live, work and pay taxes as a citizen of another country, without fear of being extradited with mere days to get out and go through the whole hassle again if you have to change jobs, if you don't want to commit to a green card scenario. Avoid, for more than a town or so, people that subscribe to religious conservative radio and watch fox news. Receive well deserved state protection when distributing truths about organizations like Scientology. Avoid draconian punishments like the death penalty and effective long-term incarceration without trial for whistleblowing or opposing established media/publishing congolomerate interests? Hell, this should be a twitter hash tag.
unidirectional flow of immigration
All developed countries have this. Fact: almost nobody from other developed countries has an interest in moving long term to the United States... look up the statistics on the green card lottery if you wish.
I can't do business with Chinese companies, while I can with members of the civilized world. I see a strong difference in culture.
That's abusive and false. China successfully exports more products in more categories to more destinations than any other country, last time I checked. Maybe the problem is you.
Russia
No idea about Russia. From what I read, they basically skipped the development of a facade pretend-representational government and went straight to a mafia state. I guess you have to give them points for efficiency!
I was also expecting them to implement bundle routing / delay-tolerant networking. It just makes so much sense for mobile devices with intermittent connectivity.
