Connectivity vs Sound investments : Loon Project is Shutting Down

@David Indeje <[email protected]>
Terribly news, Loon left before reaching Omabei, like @Mwendwa Kivuva
<[email protected]> says, we might not have had a good business case
for it.

Isorait as it is said in my village

On Fri, Jan 22, 2021 at 12:20 PM David Indeje via kictanet <
[email protected]> wrote:

> 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 <[email protected]>
> 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
>> www.linkedin.com/in/mwendwa-kivuva
>>
>>
>> On Fri, 22 Jan 2021 at 10:22, David Indeje via kictanet <
>> [email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>> Alphabet’s Internet Loon Project is Shutting Down, Blow to Telkom Kenya.
>>>
>>> **Loon launched a pilot project in Kenya in 2020
>>>
>>> 1. medium.com/loon-for-all/loon-draft-c3fcebc11f3f
>>>
>>>
>>> *Kind Regards,*
>>>
>>> *David Indeje *
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> for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and
> regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT
> sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
>
> KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors
> online that you follow in real life: respect people\’s times and bandwidth,
> share knowledge, don\’t flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do
> not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
>