Google to invest in Internet start-up

The World
The World
This man started out trying to tackle what tech folks call the �last mile problem��or figuring out ways to get internet access across to the most remote villages on the planet. He got interested when he tried to bring internet to schools in Rwanda, which got him to change his focus: I realized that no matter how much you did on the last mile, you had to start with bringing the internet from the developed world. He then started thinking about satellite, which five years ago, when it was considered much too slow, would've been a non-starter. But advances in satellite technology have changed the equation. This technology expert says as cell phone service providers have moved out of the cities in developing countries, the traditional infrastructure has disappeared. The man who worked in Rwanda used the principal of using satellite technology to bride the gap in starting his O3B. He uses a satellite which is relatively closer to earth which reduces the time for internet surfing, making it more similar to cable internet. Google bought into his idea and has given O3B $60 million dollars. This analyst says it's a good investment for Google. He says the idea of making money by providing aid to the least developed parts of the world is far away, but that doesn't mean Google is wasting money. He says this is about connecting with cell phones. This goes in line with the marketing of Google's own cell phone. For O3B the challenges are technical, cultural, and commercial.
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