Optimism as East Africa launches 'satellite’ internet device

Arusha. Rural communities of the East African region may now easily access internet following the launching of a baloon anchored device in Nairobi on Tuesday.

The official launch in the Kenyan capital was graced with the signing of an agreement with the American telecom giant under a project dubbed Google Project Loon.

"I thank Loon for choosing the region as the launch pad for this clearly transformational project," said the East African Community (EAC) secretary general Liberat Mfumukeko.

He said the Community appreciated that the launch of baloon anchored Internet infrastructure under the Loon project targeted under-served areas.

"Access to ICT is critical in the EAC integration process underpinnings to unlock the growth and market potential for the region," he said.

Mr Mfumukeko appealed to all the EAC partner states, Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, Burundi, Rwanda and South Sudan to embrace the Google Project Loon.

He later signed a Letter of intent to deepen cooperation and collaboration with Google Project Loon coordinator Ms Anna Prouse.

Stakeholders in IT believe that the use of the device will facilitate increased accessibility, affordability, availability, reliability and usage of broadband throughout the region.