Did you know it’s World Telecommunication & Information Society
Elon Musk’s space internet
Serial entrepreneur Elon Musk does more than build electric cars. He also wants to start an internet revolution. In space that is. Starlink, scheduled to be completed in 2027, wants to bring bring high-speed internet to the masses via 12,000 satellites. Imagine: constant, global internet coverage in every corner of the planet: from the jungle to the North pole. This project could shake up the entire industry. The launch of the first satellites is scheduled for next week.
Facebook suffers setbacks
Facebook’s co-founder Mark Zuckerberg also wants to connect the whole world to the internet. According to Zuckerberg, everyone should be entitled to free basic internet service. But from the start, critics called his effort a scheme by Facebook to get new users. Moreover the ambitious project – called Internet.org – suffered major setbacks over the past years. In 2016 a SpaceX rocket – yes from Elon Musk – exploded in Florida, destroying a satellite Facebook was planning to use to offer Internet access in Africa. Time for a new plan: in 2017 Zuckerberg invested in solar powered drones. But also the drone project suffered several setbacks when a test flight ended with a crash landing and a broken wing. Now he’s focusing on connecting the third world via local internet providers.
Google: internet-by-balloon
Internet balloons? Oh yes. With project Loon Google launches a network of stratospheric balloons designed to bring Internet connectivity to rural and remote communities worldwide. The balloons travel on the edge of space and are designed to endure the harsh conditions. Smart algorithms ensure that the balloons stay in place. Google understands that you need partners to succeed. Therefore the company has joined forces with a company that will provide telecommunication in the stratosphere. The forecast for Loon looks good, as Softbank just invested $125 million in the project.
Internet changed the data industry
It’s needless to say that Internet has changed the data industry as well. In the good old days business data was delivered on a cassette. When you needed a database for a direct mail campaign, we put the data on tape and sent it to you via the postage company. One of our (older) colleagues can even remember that he had to hop on the train to deliver the data to a client for an urgent campaign. Today it’s much easier. Because of email of course, but also because most of the databases around the world are standardized and connected now. With just one click you can contact 287 million companies coming from 100+ local chamber of commerces and thousands other local directories and sources. The data is delivered in blink of an eye with email. Or more safely via an FTP server. Or you can even access data in real time via an API.
Culled from https://bolddata.nl/en/