谷歌如何把氣球上網項目發展成一門上百億的生意？

????谷歌公司的Loon項目計劃利用氣球，讓世界上缺乏網絡設施的地區也能享受到互聯網服務。據科技博客The Verge的一篇報道稱，這個項目可能為谷歌帶來上百億美元收益。

????在谷歌副總裁兼該項目主管麥克?卡西迪看來：全球目前共有45億人無法上網，只要氣球能讓其中5%的人上網——谷歌向每個用戶每月收取5美元——就意味著上百億美元的收入。

????當然，這個算盤并沒有考慮這套基于氣球的互聯網系統的運營成本，勢必將十分高昂。由于多數未聯網地區都處于發展中國家，每月5美元也是一筆很大的支出。

????Loon項目約四年前以實驗形式啟動。目前谷歌正在新西蘭測試這種可以上網的氣球，最終目標是將該項目推向全球。（財富中文網）

????譯者：清遠

????Project Loon, Google’s project to use balloons to bring Internet access to underserved parts of the world, could bring in billions of dollars, according to a report in The Verge.

????Google VP and Project Loon lead Mike Cassidy sees it like this: if the balloons bring Internet access to just 5% of the 4.5 billion people currently without it— and Google gets $5 a month from each user—that would mean tens of billions in revenue for the company.

????Of course, Cassidy’s figure doesn’t factor in the costs of running the ballon-based Internet system, which could be high. And since most of the underserved parts of the world are in developing areas, $5 a month is a lot to charge.

????Project Loon began as an experimental project for the company about four years ago. Google is currently testing the Internet-beaming balloons in New Zealand, with ambitions to expand the project to other parts of the world.