SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO — Giant balloons are now delivering mobile access to hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico, thanks to a team-up between Google's parent company Alphabet, and AT&T. <br /> <br />According to the Federal Communications Commission, more than 68% of cell sites in Puerto Rico are still out of service as of OCtober 20 — one month after the island was devastated by Hurricane Maria. <br /> <br />Reuters reports that to help restore communications, Project Loon has deployed giant balloons, which use the AT&T network, to provide emergency internet service on the island. <br /> <br />The service is limited to those with LTE-enabled phones, and supports text messaging, email, and basic web browsing. <br /> <br />The balloons float 20 kilometers up in the stratosphere, providing service to a roughly 5,000 square-kilometer area. Solar panels power daytime operations, while also charging a battery for nighttime use. <br /> <br /> <br />Though still an experimental technology, Project Loon proved effective in early 2017, when it provided basic connectivity to flood-affected areas in Peru.
