Google parent Alphabet gearing up for commercial trials of Internet balloon project 'Loon' in the coming weeks

The first commercial test of Alphabet's ambitious Internet balloon project called 'Loon' will soon kick off in Kenya in partnership with Telkom Kenya - the country's third biggest carrier, according to Reuters. Loon balloons will reach Kenya in the coming weeks and as part of the trials, it will allow mountain villagers to purchase 4G service at market rates for an undefined period, amid doubts about its viability by potential customers in the emerging markets. The final approval will be signed this month, Kenya's aviation authority said. 

Unofficial development on the project Loon took place in 2011 under incubation in Google X and a series of trial runs were performed in California's Central Valley. Two years later, the project Loon was officially announced as a Google project in June 2013. The project Loon aims to make connectivity available across remote parts. It does so by floating balloon-shaped solar-powered networking gear over areas where cell towers would be too expensive to build, especially in the emerging markets.

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Loon allows wireless carriers in Peru and Puerto Rico to use balloons and provide users with connectivity across areas where cell phone towers are no longer in place due to natural disasters. Although Kenyan officials are enthusiastic as they try to bring more people online, not everyone is as enthusiastic with Alphabet's Project Loon.

Executives at five other wireless carriers across four continents told Reuters that Loon is not a fit currently and may never be. Companies including Telkom Indonesia, Vodafone New Zealand and Orange SA among others say Loon must demonstrate its technology is "reliable, safe and profitable for carriers." Alphabet's Project Loon balloons can be publicly tracked since they are equipped with automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast, with the call-sign "HBAL."

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There have been multiple incidents in the past when Loon balloons crashed and came down. In May 2014, a Loon balloon crashed during tests in Washington, United States. The same year, a Loon balloon came down in New Zealand and emergency services had to be called in by authorities.