Alphabet to Send Internet Balloons to Kenya in 2019

1. How does Google Loon balloon work?
2. How does Google Loon work in Kenya?
3. Is Google a 5G loon?
4. Why are there so many balloons over Kenya?
5. Is Loon owned by Google?
6. Why is Loon shutting down?
7. What is the average Internet speed in Kenya?
8. How do Project Loon balloons stay in place?
9. How much does Project Loon cost?
10. How does Loon connect?
11. Can you see Loon balloons?
12. What is Project Loon balloon?

How does Google Loon balloon work?

Google's internet balloons are wireless Internet connectivity towers that float in the stratosphere. They beam Internet signals to earth-based stations, which then transmit the internet to users through internet service providers. These floating giant balloons are made from plastic.

How does Google Loon work in Kenya?

loon's greater coverage area enables mobile network operators to expand their coverage where it is needed. loon transmits an operator's signal from connection points on the ground, beams it across multiple balloons in the stratosphere, and then sends that signal back to a user's LTE device.

Is Google a 5G loon?

Already, mobile handsets are being manufactured with 5G features. Help us improve our website! Google Loon, on the other hand, is a network of balloons traveling on the edge of space, delivering connectivity to people in unserved and underserved communities around the world.

Why are there so many balloons over Kenya?

A network of giant internet-enabled balloons from Google's sister firm Loon is to provide internet access to remote areas of Kenya. It will provide 4G coverage so people can make voice and video calls, browse the web, email, text and stream videos. ... Loon began as one of Google's so-called ''moonshot projects" in 2011.

Is Loon owned by Google?

Google started Loon in 2012 as part of X and spun it out into a separate company in 2018. “Sadly, despite the team's groundbreaking technical achievements over the last 9 years,” Teller wrote, “the road to commercial viability has proven much longer and riskier than hoped.

Why is Loon shutting down?

The firm said on Thursday evening that it was winding down Loon, a nine-year-old project and a two-and-a-half-year-old spin-off firm, after failing to find a sustainable business model and partners for one of its most prominent moonshot projects.

What is the average Internet speed in Kenya?

Kenya has been ranked as number 122 in terms of internet speeds globally. The mean average download speed in the country is 8.20Mbps.

How do Project Loon balloons stay in place?

The Loon team tracks the balloon location using GPS and coordinates directly with the local air traffic control to land safely in sparsely populated areas. Guided to the ground by the parachute, the balloon lands safely at a slow speed.

How much does Project Loon cost?

The material makeup of each balloon was assessed and an energy audit found each balloon had 70225MJ of embodied energy and an estimated initial cost of $17870. Over a five year period the total cost per balloon was determined to be $40318.

How does Loon connect?

The balloon communicates with specialised Internet antennas installed at your home. Each one of these balloon talks to its neighbouring balloon and some of which connects to your local Internet provider. This creates a network in the sky.

Can you see Loon balloons?

Under just the right conditions, the high altitude balloons can be visible through a pair of binoculars when sunlight hits them just right as they float at around 50,000 feet. For perspective, most commercial aircraft fly between 30,000 and 38,000 feet — about 5.9 to 7.2 miles.

What is Project Loon balloon?

Project Loon, which was spun out of Google's Alphabet in 2018, aimed to use high altitude balloons the size of tennis courts to provide Internet to inaccessible places. The project's name referred to the airborne nature of the project and the fact that the idea could be seen as loony.