Satellites Launch to Bring Rural Areas Online

A Soyuz rocket launched the first four O3b satellites into medium-Earth orbit. Image courtesy of O3b. What did we do before Internet? Ask one of the 5 billion people on the planet today who still aren't connected to the World Wide Web. One company is trying to change that by launching a series of satellites that would provide fast, cheap Internet and phone service to remote areas in 180 countries. The satellites belong to a telecom company called O3b Networks, whose name represents the "other 3 billion" people they hope to bring online by the end of the year. The quartet of satellites launched yesterday in a Soyuz rocket from French Guiana around 3:30 PM Eastern will be followed by four more in September and another four next year. Each satellite will be able to transfer data at a rate of 12 gigabits per second. Other satellites may eventually be ...