Google internet balloon spinoff Loon still looking for its wings. First commercial trial planned.

Google’s bet on balloons to deliver cell service soon faces a crucial test amid doubts about the viability of the technology by some potential customers.  The company behind the effort, Loon, says its balloons will reach Kenya in the coming weeks for its first commercial trial. The test with Telkom Kenya, the nation’s No 3 carrier, will let mountain villagers buy 4G service at market-rate prices for an undefined period. Kenya’s aviation authority said its final approval would be signed in July. Loon decided to partner with carriers after finding that operating its own network risked blowback from telecom companies, shareholders, and activists wary of Google’s influence. Loon aims to levy a fixed subscription charge based on the size of the coverage area, plus fees linked to data usage. But some prospective telecoms clients have balked, preferring to pay based on the number of subscribers. Others are wary of technical limitations. A virtual chain of six balloons can supply 4G to thousands of devices over an area nearly as large as Puerto Rico. But users can lose connections if winds push balloons astray. Their solar-powered gear needs abundant year-round sunshine, leaving chunks of the United States, Europe, China and southernmost South America and Africa off limits. And using balloons too close to cities could jam other communications.