Loon, the Alphabet company working to bring balloon-powered internet to Kenya with its local partner Telkom Kenya, said it has received all regulatory and Cabinet approvals to begin flying balloons in Kenya. The balloons will be dispatched from Loon’s sites in the US, and it is hoped that they will arrive in the country in the next few weeks. Once the balloons arrive in Kenya, Loon and Telkom will be able to conduct the final stages of network integration testing required to begin serving customers.
Given the situation with the Covid-19 virus and the need for enhanced connectivity, Loon and Telkom said they are working as quickly as possible, within the limitations resulting from the worldwide pandemic. Loon and Telkom have also worked with Nokia and Liquid Telecom to install ground stations in Nairobi, Nakuru and Nyeri.
The Loon service will seek to use its LTE internet service to connect unserved and under-served communities in Kenya. Initial coverage areas have already been identified, within the larger central area of the country, where fairly mountainous and remote areas make service accessibility and availability a challenge. Telkom and Loon will thereafter work to expedite service deployment progressively to other areas, to support the Kenya government’s efforts to address and manage the spread of Covid-19 in the country.
The Loon service will work to have targeted communities connected to emergency services, as well as ensure enhanced and alternative communication options between loved ones, whether in isolation or in quarantine. The Loon service will have the potential of connecting remote clinics to the country’s national referral hospitals and other mapped medical facilities.
