Alphabet Loon and Vodacom partner to increase rural Internet access in Mozambique
On 13 May 2020, Alphabet Loon and Vodacom signed an agreement that Loon’s balloon powered Internet solution will be used to expand Vodacom’s network to inaccessible areas using a network of cell phone towers floating at 20km above the Earth. The technology will enable under-populated and geographically challenging areas such as the Cabo Delgado and Niassa provinces gain access to 4G mobile networks.
Vodacom Group CEO, Shameel Josub, said that the partnership is an example of how new technology can help bridge the digital divide in Africa. Loon’s CEO, Alastaire Westgarth, said that they were happy with the partnership which is a step towards serving more African users.
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