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Facebook has started initial talks with Indian telecom companies and the government for potential pilot programmes to use its solar-powered plane called Aquila to provide the infrastructure needed to offer affordable mobile internet access in remote areas.
The world’s largest social network has already started to tie up with telcos for its Express Wi-Fi project to provide broadband services in rural parts, Robert Pepper, Facebook’s Connectivity Public Policy Director, told ET.
“Having fibre-like speeds in places without fibre and making it available to anybody is the reason why there’s so much interest in Aquila. We have begun discussions with telecom operators to see which ones might be interested,” Pepper said. “There is a huge amount of interest, but it is very early stages.”
Telcos that don’t find it feasible to create the infrastructure for internet services in rural areas – given the lack of demand – can use Facebook’s Aquila as a platform to deliver mobile broadband. Once such a service generates adequate demand, the operators could build their own infrastructure and the Aquila planes can be moved to another location. Facebook tested its first Aquila over Yuma, Arizona, in June.
Pepper said that with Aquila, a solar-powered airplane with a wingspan of 141 feet – wider than a Boeing 737 – Facebook aims to lower the cost of providing internet. Each plane can remain in the air for up to 90 days at a time, beaming internet signals to people within a 96-km diameter.
Aquila could be used to provide internet in areas where the national optical fibre network (NOFN), renamed Bharat Net, hasn’t reached, he said.
“Whenever NOFN comes to those places, you can move Aquila to some other place. It’s not any cost. It’s part of the design. If it’s successful over time you would no longer need it because it creates demand which will be enough to bring the fibre,” he added.
Facebook’s previous initiative to link the unconnected through Free Basics had to be pulled out from India after the telecom regulator banned discriminatory pricing of data services, which included zero-rated services. India continues to remain key for Facebook’s future, with 462 million, or a third of the population, with internet access in June, according to an IAMAI report.
BACKHAUL IN RURAL AREAS
While Aquila can’t be used to offer direct internet access to end users, it can also provide the backhaul for Express Wi-Fi, a Facebook initiative aimed at bringing last-mile connectivity in partnership with telcos and internet service providers.
Backhaul is typically provided using fibre or micromave. In India, it’s mainly the latter since the country isn’t adequately fibreised. Backhaul is responsible for the transportation of traffic between towers and the core or switching network, which typically works on billing and authentication.
EXPRESS WIFI AND TELCOS
Facebook is running pilot projects with internet service providers and Pepper said that lately some mobile operators have joined in.
“In some places, Express Wi-Fi is being used by mobile operators. This is before they have enough demand to build out a 4G, and they may only have a 2G voice or GSM,” Pepper said.
Facebook has rolled out 125 rural public Wi-Fi hotspots with state-run Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd.
The idea behind Express Wi-Fi is to bring connectivity to places that don’t have it and “help create an entirely new ecosystem of new ISP and small business, sustainable business, especially in rural areas,” Pepper said.
Facebook has developed its own OSS and BSS software for Express Wi-Fi, which is neutral to any backhaul.
Facebook begins talks with telcos, govt for Aquila plane trials in India - ET Telecom
The world’s largest social network has already started to tie up with telcos for its Express Wi-Fi project to provide broadband services in rural parts, Robert Pepper, Facebook’s Connectivity Public Policy Director, told ET.
“Having fibre-like speeds in places without fibre and making it available to anybody is the reason why there’s so much interest in Aquila. We have begun discussions with telecom operators to see which ones might be interested,” Pepper said. “There is a huge amount of interest, but it is very early stages.”
Telcos that don’t find it feasible to create the infrastructure for internet services in rural areas – given the lack of demand – can use Facebook’s Aquila as a platform to deliver mobile broadband. Once such a service generates adequate demand, the operators could build their own infrastructure and the Aquila planes can be moved to another location. Facebook tested its first Aquila over Yuma, Arizona, in June.
Pepper said that with Aquila, a solar-powered airplane with a wingspan of 141 feet – wider than a Boeing 737 – Facebook aims to lower the cost of providing internet. Each plane can remain in the air for up to 90 days at a time, beaming internet signals to people within a 96-km diameter.
Aquila could be used to provide internet in areas where the national optical fibre network (NOFN), renamed Bharat Net, hasn’t reached, he said.
“Whenever NOFN comes to those places, you can move Aquila to some other place. It’s not any cost. It’s part of the design. If it’s successful over time you would no longer need it because it creates demand which will be enough to bring the fibre,” he added.
Facebook’s previous initiative to link the unconnected through Free Basics had to be pulled out from India after the telecom regulator banned discriminatory pricing of data services, which included zero-rated services. India continues to remain key for Facebook’s future, with 462 million, or a third of the population, with internet access in June, according to an IAMAI report.
BACKHAUL IN RURAL AREAS
While Aquila can’t be used to offer direct internet access to end users, it can also provide the backhaul for Express Wi-Fi, a Facebook initiative aimed at bringing last-mile connectivity in partnership with telcos and internet service providers.
Backhaul is typically provided using fibre or micromave. In India, it’s mainly the latter since the country isn’t adequately fibreised. Backhaul is responsible for the transportation of traffic between towers and the core or switching network, which typically works on billing and authentication.
EXPRESS WIFI AND TELCOS
Facebook is running pilot projects with internet service providers and Pepper said that lately some mobile operators have joined in.
“In some places, Express Wi-Fi is being used by mobile operators. This is before they have enough demand to build out a 4G, and they may only have a 2G voice or GSM,” Pepper said.
Facebook has rolled out 125 rural public Wi-Fi hotspots with state-run Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd.
The idea behind Express Wi-Fi is to bring connectivity to places that don’t have it and “help create an entirely new ecosystem of new ISP and small business, sustainable business, especially in rural areas,” Pepper said.
Facebook has developed its own OSS and BSS software for Express Wi-Fi, which is neutral to any backhaul.
Facebook begins talks with telcos, govt for Aquila plane trials in India - ET Telecom