(Ecofin Agency) - The government of Kenya has granted authorization to Loon LCC, a subsidiary of US company Alphabet (Google's sister company), to launch internet balloons in the country. The initiative was approved by the President of the Republic, Uhuru Kenyatta (pictured), as part of his strategy to ease the quarantine period for the populations by providing them with high-speed Internet.

“These balloons which will hover over our commercial airspace will carry 4G base stations and have the capacity to provide wider signal coverage. This intervention will enable Kenya to retain her competitive advantage in ICT and innovation amid the current crisis while at the same time laying foundations for greater expansion once the current health challenge is contained,” the President said, during a press briefing today March 23.

Once launched, the service will extend Telkom Kenya's 4G network to areas that are currently not covered by any of the mobile network providers. “I know the gesture by Google Loon and Telkom to offer their 4G to support our efforts in surveillance and management of coronavirus infections will go a long way to containing the present health challenge,” he added.