Alphabet shuts down Loon Internet balloon project

[Hanno Labuschagne]

Alphabet shuts down Loon Internet balloon project

Google parent Alphabet Inc. shut down Loon, an audacious project to beam internet service from high-altitude balloons, after the unit failed to develop a viable business model.

“While we’ve found a number of willing partners along the way, we haven’t found a way to get the costs low enough to build a long-term, sustainable business,” Loon Chief Executive Officer Alastair Westgarth wrote Thursday in a blog post.

“Developing radical new technology is inherently risky, but that doesn’t make breaking this news any easier. Today, I’m sad to share that Loon will be winding down.”

[Bloomberg]

 

[Thor]

Elon killed it

 

[Ninja'd]

Elon killed it

Really? Thought this was just another of their run of the mill failures.

 

[jannievanzyl]

Really? Thought this was just another of their run of the mill failures.

Thor is right.

 

[ToxicBunny]

Really? Thought this was just another of their run of the mill failures.

Nope Thor is pretty much on the money this time...

Why invest money in a project that is superseded by a much better technological solution...

 

[Swa]

Well it was another one of their loony projects.

 

[jannievanzyl]

Nope Thor is pretty much on the money this time...

Why invest money in a project that is superseded by a much better technological solution...Exactly.

Yup, but it was truly a balsy project and the fact that new technology superseded it in no way detract from the innovative nature of the project.

 

[Johnatan56]

Thor is right.

Just curious if you guys will try and hook into their network? You're already doing satellite connection, are you going to share/maybe use them as a viable uplink for remote towers?

 

[Gerry]

was most probably the seed that proved the possibility
that lead to Musk's solution.

 

[backstreetboy]

Elon killed it

Lol at $600 just to hook up to Starlink whereas this targeted rural areas. Yeah sure.

 

[Gerry]

trying to roll out 5G near certain areas seems costly as well

 

[Petec]

Elon is all like "Hur, hur hur."

 

[jannievanzyl]

Just curious if you guys will try and hook into their network? You're already doing satellite connection, are you going to share/maybe use them as a viable uplink for remote towers?

The balloons or LEO?

Loon, we were in the process of launching over Mozambique but clearly that's now off the table.

We do today use satellite for uplink of remote towers. LEO, I cannot see it not being in our future.

 

[jannievanzyl]

Lol at $600 just to hook up to Starlink whereas this targeted rural areas. Yeah sure.

Ever heard of Moore's law?

 

[Johnatan56]

Ever heard of Moore's law?

Not really going to apply to his statement, will more be that you will get faster/better equipment but I doubt the equipment ever going below something like $200.

@backstreetboy that $500 really isn't that expensive though, most solutions in rural are way more costly and a lot worse. The people that can afford the $100 a month won't have any issue paying a $500 once-off and the price will most likely come down over time.

 

[Geoff.D]

Lets us hope that is the end of these loony HAPS projects! Stillborn from the day they were dreamt up way back in the late 90's Now, next on the list will be which of the dozens LEO projects? I suppose the ones with the least money will no also just dissapear.

 

[Gordon_R]

Controlled landing in the Eastern Cape:

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