Alphabet X's balloon-powered Project Loon has beamed internet access to over 100,000 users in hurricane-stricken Puerto Rico.

The hot-air balloons arrived over the island from Nevada three weeks ago and have been delivering internet access to certain AT&T and T-Mobile customers in the most damaged areas.

Since turning on service, #ProjectLoon has delivered basic internet connectivity to more than 100K people in Puerto Rico. https://t.co/s0zmFB9dRy — The Team at X (@Theteamatx) November 9, 2017

It's the first time the balloons have been launched at such a rapid pace. And initially, the team behind Project Loon wasn't sure how well the technology might work.

The balloons are designed to hover 11 miles above the Earth to create an aerial wireless network. Once in position, they can relay data between the telecommunication provider on the ground and to the customers in need.

However, one worry has been the constantly shifting winds over Puerto Rico. To keep them clustered over the island, the balloons are using computer algorithms to navigate the atmospheric conditions.

Each balloon can cover up to 5,000 square kilometers. The only drawback is that customers must have an LTE-enabled phone to access the aerial network, which is offering basic wireless connectivity for text messages, emails, and light internet browsing.

In addition to Project Loon, telecommunication providers have been working to repair damaged cellular sites and towers on the ground. They've so far brought 72 percent of Puerto Rico's telecommunication services back online.