The reason I said it was a blow besides Astro Teller, CEO of X, chairman of Loon’s board pledging a $10 million fund to support businesses focused on connectivity, education, entrepreneurship and internet in Kenya, is that, the time it took for Telkom to start using the infrastructure cannot be washed away from 2018 to be effected 2020. True, the underserved will feel it. A question that triggers other questions and concerns from Listers on this platform on community networks, ICT Authority's and Communication Authority's time frame to ensure we close this gap. *Kind Regards,* *David Indeje * +254 (0) 711 385 945 | +254 (0) 734 024 856 On Fri, 22 Jan 2021 at 11:42, Mwendwa Kivuva <Kivuva@transworldafrica.com> wrote:
Not a blow to Telkom Kenya at all, but a blow for the underserved. Loon was a 4G/LTE coverage infrastructure provider using floating cell towers for hard to reach areas. Telkom would lease the infrastructure the same way you can lease masts from other infrastructure providers.
Since it is a floating tower for underserved areas, the business case becomes difficult to justify because there is no critical mass in those areas to cover the value chain. And that is why subsidies are important in ensuring the marginalized still enjoy some semblance of internet access like the more privileged citizens in more urban areas. ______________________ Mwendwa Kivuva, Nairobi, Kenya https://www.linkedin.com/in/mwendwa-kivuva
On Fri, 22 Jan 2021 at 10:22, David Indeje via kictanet < kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
Alphabet’s Internet Loon Project is Shutting Down, Blow to Telkom Kenya.
**Loon launched a pilot project in Kenya in 2020
1. https://medium.com/loon-for-all/loon-draft-c3fcebc11f3f
*Kind Regards,*
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