Google’s Project Loon will begin its first commercial trial in partnership with Telkom Kenya. The project Loon is a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc. which aims to provide internet access to rural communities. Loon places high-altitude balloons in the stratosphere to create an aerial wireless network of up to 4G-LTE speed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiEZfRh-h-s
The balloons are filled with helium and made of polyethylene plastic by Raven Aerostar. Parachutes are attached to the top of the balloons for movement control whenever the balloons are to land on the ground. Attached to the balloons are boxes containing circuit boards, radio antennas and Ubiquiti Rocket M2 for transmitting signals. Solar panels are placed in between the balloon envelope and hardware to sufficiently power the Loon technology and charge the batteries for night use.
The balloons will be positioned in the wind layer with the appropriate speed from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Signals will then travel through the balloon network to an Internet Service Provider (ISP). The subscribers will be able to connect to the Loon network via internet antenna mounted on their buildings.
Loon has flown across over 35 million kilometers and connects hundreds of thousands around the world. In 2013, Google began a pilot phase in New Zealand with about 30 balloons launched in partnership with the Civil Aviation Authority. The project was tested by over 50 local users using special antennas. Another set of balloons were tested in 2014 in France and in Sri Lanka in 2016. The partnership with Telkom Kenya will be Project Loon’s first commercial agreement.
Telkom Kenya will provide internet access to customers in rural communities at affordable rates. Other telecommunication companies like Zain Group, Vodafone and Orange SA, closely await the success of the Kenyan trial before partnering with Google for the Project Loon.
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