As the internet is becoming an essential part of our daily lives, several companies are trying to connect parts of the world that are still disconnected to the internet. We have seen Facebook build a “fiber-spinning” robot to cut the cost of laying fiber-optic cables over large areas. Now, Alphabet, the parent company of Google, is using solar-powered balloons to provide internet service in Kenya.
Currently, Loon balloons are only used in places where bringing the internet is a difficult task or in places where natural disasters have destroyed permanent cell towers. However, according to the CEO of the company, Alastair Westgarth, “Loon is well-positioned to play this role and serve as the operating system for the global connectivity ecosystem of the future.”
