This archive report was first published on 7 July 2020.
Kenya has become the first country in Africa to launch a balloon-powered internet service, marking a significant milestone in internet service provision on the continent.
On Tuesday, Telkom and Loon announced the availability of mobile internet service via the Loon technology to Kenyans, starting July 2020. This comes as the project partners approach the completion of their network integration tests, which have seen them successfully assess service quality across their infrastructure and respective networks.
According to Loon and Telkom, the service will initially cover a region spanning nearly 50,000 square kilometres, including areas such as Iten, Eldoret, Baringo, Nakuru, Kakamega, Kisumu, Kisii, Bomet, Kericho, and Narok.
Speaking on the development, Telkom Kenya's Chief Executive Mugo Kibati said the new technology will enable the company to offer connectivity to many Kenyans who live in remote regions that are underserved or totally unserved.
“This being a purely data service and with the continued migration of communication towards data-supported platforms, the internet-enabled balloons will be able to offer connectivity to the many Kenyans who live in remote regions that are underserved or totally unserved, and as such remain disadvantaged,” said Kibati.
Loon's Chief Executive Alastair Westgarth also expressed gratitude to the government for their support in ushering in the innovative technology. “Without the support and engagement by various government agencies, today would not be possible. We are incredibly grateful to the many governmental stakeholders who helped usher in Africa’s first application of this innovative technology,” said Mr Westgarth.
The service will be available from 6:00 am to 9:00 pm, and Loon and Telkom are working together to limit any potential service disruptions and improve the user’s experience.
