15 June 2013
 
Farmers up, up and away with Google’s beautiful Loon
 
Federated Farmers of New Zealand is excitedly welcoming Google's global trial for its revolutionary Project Loon. If successful, Project Loon could ensure near total broadband coverage for rural New Zealand at speeds currently associated with 3G mobile.
 
"Google’s Project Loon is the epitome of innovation. It takes cool science and puts it together in a completely new way," said Dr William Rolleston, Federated Farmers Vice-President, speaking immediately after the global launch of Google Loon in Christchurch.
 
"What Google proposes doing is to use balloons high in the stratosphere to offer wide area coverage of broadband.  It is, quite literally, the material of Star Trek.
 
"Google Loon is a radical but inspiring solution which could eliminate the latency downside of satellite and weak or non-existent wireless for those areas where fibre based broadband cannot reach.
 
"With ‘rings’ of ‘Loon balloons,’ it is a brave new step toward providing coverage to rural and remote areas.
 
"Potentially this is huge given New Zealand's Rural Broadband Initiative still leaves around a quarter of rural New Zealand without reliable or rapid access to the internet.
 
"Given the genesis of the New Zealand economy starts in the rural hinterland, Project Loon could well be a step-change to supercharge New Zealand’s primary industries.
 
"Project Loon potentially eliminates the technological tyranny of being rural. It means businesses, services and communities can be put on an even footing with the cities.
 
"That could reinvigorate rural communities the world-over, but especially right here in New Zealand," Dr Rolleston added.
 
Federated Farmers Meat & Fibre chairperson, Jeanette Maxwell, is a perfect example for how Project Loon could bring reliable and fast internet to rural New Zealand.
 
"Farming at iconic Mt Hutt we are at the absolute edge of broadband as it currently exists," Jeanette Maxwell said.
 
"We have broadband 'sort of'. Our wired ADSL really struggles being on old copper and I often have to call people when I send an email to ensure it gets through.
 
"We are at the edge of Telecom's 3G coverage and the signal to our place is weak.
 
"Our farm also happens to be in the satellite shadow thrown by Mt Hutt, so direct satellite broadband is not an option for us.  Google’s Project Loon could change all of that," she finished by saying.
 
Federated Farmers is excited by the prospect of Google’s Project Loon stresses Federated Farmers' Dr William Rolleston.
 
"It is inspiring innovation with huge application for New Zealand's primary industries. We genuinely thank Google for what is a 'moon shot' for connectedness," Dr Rolleston concluded.

ENDS

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