Google parent company Alphabet is officially closing project loon, which provides 4G LTE speed internet from floating balloons, according to a post on the blog of Alphabet’s X moonshot division. Launched in 2013, Project Loon was a Research and Development project being developed by X (formerly Google X). The project uses high-altitude balloons placed in the stratosphere at an altitude of about 50,000 feet to create an aerial wireless network with up to 4G-LTE speeds.
By August 2018, project had so far launched in over 19 countries. In East Africa, flights commenced in Kenya and Project Loon was exploring opportunities in Uganda. This means all plans to launch in Uganda are now no more.
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At that time, H.E Amb. Deborah Malac welcomed the entry of Project Loon into the Ugandan market. She said; “Bringing internet to rural areas in Uganda remains a big challenge. The presence of Project Loon here today is an important step towards connecting remote populations.”
Uganda was supposed to utilize the existing infrastructure and business environment to support Loon operations, At thet time, Mrs. Ddambya Vivian, who represented the Minister of Information Communications Technology and National Guidance, Uganda (NITA Uganda) shared that the National Backbone Infrastructure would be
available to be utilized and emphasized that the Government of Uganda would support the private sector and joint venture investments. The Govt had substantially developed policy, institutional and infrastructure capacities as would be required to support Loon operations.
Astro Teller, who leads X, wrote in the blog; “The road to commercial viability has proven much longer and riskier than hoped. In the coming months, we’ll begin winding down operations and it will no longer be the Other Bet within Alphabet.”
Teller says that Loon is working to place employees in other roles at X, Google, and Alphabet. “A small group of the Loon team will stay to ensure Loon’s operations are wrapped up smoothly and safely — this includes winding down Loon’s pilot service in Kenya,” according to Teller. Loon’s service in Kenya will run until March 2021.
Project Loon isn’t the only moonshot that Alphabet has shut down. It wound down Makani, which aimed to use wind turbines attached to kites to create renewable electricity
