Alphabet’s Loon Balloons Provide their fi rst Commercial Internet Service in Kenya

lphabet’s Loon Balloons Provide their ommercial Internet Service in Kenya Jon Porter ! rst

stratospheric winds. Individual balloons can alternate between providing internet connectivity directly and acting as a link in the mesh network. The New York Times notes that they stay up in the air for over 100 days before coming back down to earth (www.nytimes.com/2020/07/07/world/africa/ google-loon-balloon-kenya.html). Loon says the aim of its balloons isn’t to replace satellite connectivity or ground-based technologies like cell towers or fi ber optic cables, but to oႇ er a “third layer” of connectivity to help get more people connected to the internet worldwide.

However, the Times reports that the company has been criticized for launching its balloons in parts of the country that already have developed internet infrastructure and that some people in poorer areas of Kenya can’t aႇ ord the phones needed to connect to its 4G service.

Going forward, Loon says it hopes to oႇ er internet connectivity as part of more commercial services around the world. It also has several other projects in the pipeline. It plans to oႇ er internet access to remote parts of the Amazon this year via a partnership with Internet Para Todos Perú (www.theverge.com/2019/11/21/20976065/ alphabet-loon-internet-balloon-remote-parts-amazon-2020- telefonica), and it’s also signed an agreement with Telesat to use its networking software to manage the company’s low Earth orbit satellites (www. theverge.com/2019/1/31/18200879/alphabet-project-loonsdn-networking-technology-telesat-satellite-deal). Finally, it’s partnered with AT&T in preparation to use its balloons to provide internet service to disasterstricken areas (www.theverge.com/2020/5/6/21249025/ loon-att-partnership-internet-balloons-disaster-responseglobal) and with Vodacom to provide internet to Mozambique. www.theverge.com/2020/7/7/21315961/alphabetloon-balloons-internet-kenya-telkom-4g-remoteareas Image credit: Medium, standardmedia.co.ke