Alphabet's Loon Balloons Will Provide Internet To Remote Parts of the Amazon Next Year

Yesterday, Alphabet's Loon announced that it has signed a new commercial agreement with Internet Para Todos Peru to provide mobile internet connectivity to parts of the Amazon rainforest in Peru starting in 2020. The Verge reports: Loon will use its high-altitude internet balloons to provide mobile internet from Telefonica to the selected areas. Telefonica is a part owner of Internet Para Todos Peru, a mobile infrastructure operator that is working to bring internet connectivity to remote populations in Latin America. Alphabet's blog says that the deployment will initially provide service to an area where nearly 200,000 people live, and that the deployment will make Peru the first country in Latin America to use high-altitude balloons to provide internet connectivity "on a sustained, non-emergency basis."

Remote parts of Amazon?

[h33t l4x0r]

Like the very back of the warehouse where the workers have to pee in jars?

Re: Remote parts of Amazon?

[paul_engr]

Jars are too slow, they're supposed to just pee their pants while still moving. CADENCE

Meh

[VonSkippy]

This is the same google that said they would roll out fiber to everywhere, then a year or so later, folded up their marketing tent and took their wallet and pie-in-the-sky ideas home? That google? I feel sorry for all the Peruvians that will get their hopes up, change their business models, and then be asked to bend over at a moments notice.

Re:

[AHuxley]

They are getting extra fast connections to the NSA now.
PRISM direct.

Iran

[bill_mcgonigle]

Iran is completely isolated from the Internet right now, by State tyranny, and protesters are being executed.

How about lofting some Loons over Tehran, Google? Even if they're shut down you can claim you tried.

Too expensive for GOOG?

Re: Iran

[Plugh]

Somebody mod this up. And make it a viral meme. Because seriously âoedonâ(TM)t be evilâ GOOG

Re:

[rossdee]

"How about lofting some Loons over Tehran,"

Target practice for the Revolutionary Guard

Re: Iran

[Malays Boweman]

There are enough loons in Iran making the good and honest people there miserable. We don't need anymore flying over their heads.

The Shrinking Amazon

[LordWabbit2]

Well it will get easier every year to cover the Amazon, soon a cheap off the shelf wifi router will do the trick. They just have to wait a bit.

Provide Ads To Remote Parts of the Amazon

[AHuxley]

Lets hope they have their ad blockers ready.
Welcome the good censor.

Ha

[ruddk]

The search for the last missing consumers continues.

Chainsaw Orders

[nukenerd]

Should make it easier to order those chainsaws from Amazon. Deliver them by drones and then they can get on with some serious tree felling. Job done : then sit back and enjoy the pr0n.

So what? So will Starlink.

[drinkypoo]

And it won't just get cancelled within a couple of years, like everything google does that turns out to be hard.

Mining & logging rigs

[Plugh]

Thatâ(TM)s who needs Internet in the middle of the rainforest. Thanks, GOOG!

Re:

[The New Guy 2.0]

Without logging, where would we get wood and paper?
Without mining, where would we get gold and lead to make copper?

Re: Mining & logging rigs

[CyberRacer]

Gold and lead make copper? Must be Heavy Metallurgy.

Finally!

[CyberRacer]

Think of all those poor slobs unable to check their email as they torch the rainforests.

Amazon Damage

[kackle]

If this makes it more attractive to live in the Amazon, doesn't that mean more people/more environmental damage? Doesn't that make for an unhappy Earth Day?

ubiquitous internet

[astrofurter]

This will make the semi-autonomous deathbot tests much easier.