Facebook Working with Airbus to Provide Better Wi-fi Access in Planes 



Facebook announced that it is forming a partnership with Airbus to enhance Internet services around the world. Facebook has been talking about their project, Aquila, to bring Internet service to remote areas of the world, and their partnership with Airbus could bring this to fruition.

Facebook wants to launch high altitude drones that can fly for months at a time that will broadcast Internet connection via Wi-Fi to the areas in which they cover. This would introduce the Internet to many areas of the world that are now unconnected, or bring a more stable connection to areas that have sketchy connections to the Internet.

Airbus is the perfect partner for this project. The company known for manufacturing planes is also quite prominent in making equipment for space travel, space exploration systems, satellites and unmanned drones. Airbus even announced earlier this year that it is working to create a plane that can fly by itself for transporting passengers.

If Airbus is able to develop the drones that Facebook desires, both companies could benefit. At this time, many areas of the world that planes fly over do not have access to the Internet. This would allow flight crew and passengers to have access in these areas. The drones would also allow flight controllers to have better access to what is in the area when satellite imagery is incomplete, which would eliminate communication blackouts. And Facebook, of course, would achieve bringing the Internet to all areas of the world.

Article Source: https://news.get.com/facebook-working-airbus-provide-better-wi-fi-access-planes/
Image Source: https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/plane-takeoff-wifi-intro.jpg

VOCABULARY WORDS:
1. Remote (adj.) ~ (of a place) situated far from the main centers of population distant
2. Fruition (v.) ~ the point at which a plan or project is realized
3. Sketchy (adj./ informal) ~ uncertain or unreliable
4. Prominent (adj.) ~ important famous
5. Drone (n.) ~ unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or unmanned aircraft systems (UASes)
6. Eliminate (v.) ~ completely remove or get rid of (something)

QUESTIONS FOR DICUSSION:
1. How important is wi-fi in your everyday life?
2. Do you usually use wi-fi when you are travelling by plane? If yes, for what purposes? If no, do you think having wi-fi on a plane is of utmost importance?
3. Do you think wi-fi is a necessity in remote areas? Discuss your answer.