The announcement has implications for the U.S., where AT&T operates the FirstNet public safety network
SOURCE: Verdict UK
DATE: May 7, 2020
For years, Alphabet-owned Loon has received a skeptical reaction to its audacious plan to provide cellular service by launching a constellation of radio-equipped balloons into the stratosphere. However, a new round of vendor support, as well as a new commitment by AT&T, indicates that Loon’s idea may not be as far-fetched as originally thought. READ MORE
Loon was fairly useless when launched in Puerto Rico a couple of years ago. The cells were at too high of an altitude and most relief workers on the ground had little to no success in usage. Having the cells constantly moving and the path-loss over the distances just made it nearly impossible to get much more than a few text messages in and out. WiFi hot-spots on the ground fed by private citizens and other agencies were of much greater use.
Google (Alphabet) needs to re-think their deployment of Loon. Tether the balloons anywhere between a few hundred feet to under 1000ft off the ground, keep them stationary and not moving. That simple change alone will make it infinitely more useful. It was an interesting project, but the deployment strategy needs to change to make it a truly viable solution.