Google Internet Bus Helps 1.5 Million Experience Internet For The First Time in India

Beep! Beep! Incoming… Google’s Internet bus is driving around different parts of India to educate the population about the Internet. It is currently in Bihar, and soon will visit Patna, Gaya, Bhagalpur, Darbhanga, Bihar Sharif, Arrah, Katihar, Chapra, and Purnia, according to Google India’s blog post.

While many of us have the luxury of enjoying hi-speed Internet in our lives, there are many in India who aren’t so lucky. Thanks to Google’s Internet bus, folks who aren’t blessed with any kind of Internet connection could get a glimpse of how the web can benefit their lives.

Google’s Internet bus project started as early as 2009, and has so far covered over 43,000 kilometers traveling to different parts of India, including Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and many more.

Google India claims that its Internet bus has touched more than 5.6 million people across 120 towns in India. Out of the 5.6 million people, 1.5 million of them have actually gone online for the very first time.

Google’s Internet bus is armed with computers and mobile terminals, and has staff who will explain the most commonly used Internet technologies to their visitors in English and Hindi. Featured technologies include search, email, social networking, and also mobile data services. It is a good initiative worth spreading. So kudos to Google.

Nonetheless, I’m curious if Google will tell the visitors that Facebook is currently the largest social networking site. Unlikely, I think. Surely the company’s own Orkut and Google+ services are being demoed instead.