ASiQ looking to fill the Connexion void

Just because Boeing decided to pull the plug on its Connexion service doesn't mean in-flight broadband has been grounded for good, with a company called ASiQ now promising to step in and fill the wireless void. ASiQ -- who recently revealed plans for allowing consumers to use their regular cellphones while flying -- has just announced an upcoming package based on an Inmarsat broadband link that will supposedly cost airlines just $5 to $15 to operate per flight (depending on the size of the aircraft) over a five year lease, meaning users should benefit from much lower fees than the typical $27 Boeing was charging for long-haul international trips. ASiQ will initially show off its attractively-priced system at Miami's World Airlines Entertainment Association conference and exhibition in mid-September, and plans to begin rolling out the commercial service sometime next year. We'll have to wait and see if the supposedly-lower infrastructure costs actually translate to cheap service for consumers, but if we can get our mid-air WiFi on for like five or ten bucks a flight, well, we can certainly envision this project really, um, "taking off."

[Via Geekzone]

[beelzebub123 @ Aug 20th 2006 12:33PM]

mid-air wi-fi *drools*agggghhhhh /homer
in-flight po...engadget and digg that would be awesome

[lolersticks @ Aug 20th 2006 1:07PM]

Y'know, for there to be a void, there had to be something there in the first place.

[WamBam @ Aug 20th 2006 1:37PM]

Now if I could only bring bottled water on the plane aviation would be fantastic!

[brendan @ Aug 20th 2006 3:41PM]

as if being sandwiched between two fat people isn't bad enough on an airplane, being sandwiched between two relentless cell phone blabberers would be much much worse. blah blah blah listening to their personal conversations for 3 hours+... not cool

i am completely opposed to cell phones on airlines.

[emehrkay @ Aug 20th 2006 5:08PM]

are computers even allowed on planes anymore?

[Juaquin @ Aug 20th 2006 5:48PM]

I used connexion on a trans-atlantic flight. I payed something like $17 for three hours. It's overpriced and has marginal speed, but when you're on a 10 hour flight and have nothing better to do, it's kinda nice. I read engadget up there.

However, the plane didn't have any power plugs so by the time my wifi ran out, my first battery was out too. Kinda stupid to sell wifi if your customers can't use it for very long. I'd rather buy some electricity and play some games or DVDs for the whole flight (assuming it wasn't insanely overpriced).

[ipodman715 @ Aug 21st 2006 10:50AM]

Well, first let's make sure those laptops don't explode!

[1337 @ Aug 22nd 2006 9:41AM]

first snakes, now wifi... whats next?

[Ray Winter @ Aug 22nd 2006 6:23PM]

Our Dual WiFi/GSM Mode SmartPhone has an Airline mode and it's easy to download all the information needed from your Servers directly to the onboard SD MiniDrive for later transfer to your Computer.

[Ray Winter @ Aug 22nd 2006 6:29PM]

Information and videos from your subscription channels and office servers are easily downloaded to the mini SD Drive within our our Dual WiFi/GSM SmartPhone for later transfer to your PC. Our VOIP capabilities are also excellent with high voice communications clarity at low cost, especially if travelling overseas.