Video: Mossberg reviews, likes Aircell's Gogo in-flight WiFi

His preeminence, oh lordship, oh liege, (uh hem) Walt Mossberg, just returned from a US test flight on a small business jet equipped with Aircell's new Gogo WiFi service. He tested multiple devices including Dell and Apple laptops, a Blackberry, iPhone, and WinMo-based cell and found them to all perform flawlessly, albeit, at speeds ranging from 266Kbps to about 1.4Mbps. Typical speeds clocked in at 500Kbps to 600Kbps -- upload speeds were a more modest 250Kbps to 300Kbps. Aircell promises a similar experience on large commercial planes with multiple connected devices. These speeds were good enough for Walt to surf the Web and check email (both prioritized on Gogo's network) as he would in the office but not quite fast enough to deliver smooth video streaming. Fortunately, (or unfortunately depending upon your opinion) the service blocks all VoIP services like Skype. Gogo WiFi will cost $12.95 for flights of three hours or longer, and $9.95 for shorter trips -- free for limited access to AA's website, Frommer's online travel guides, and select articles from The Wall Street Journal. It's scheduled to launch next month on American Airline flights between New York and LA, San Francisco, and Miami -- it will then head to Virgin America and other airlines if things go well. See Walt's head talk from the bowels of embedded video after the break.

[Guns'N'Bozos @ Jun 19th 2008 4:52AM]

"Aircell promises a similar experience on large commercial planes with multiple connected devices."

Of course they do! They'd (or at least their Mktg people) would be stupid not to!

Now lets get Walt on a plane with 50-75 other passengers all accessing online content at the same time and see how 'speedy' he rates it.

[Samo @ Jun 19th 2008 5:06AM]

Wait, he did a review without praising an Apple product at any time?!
That's hard to believe...

[kccboy2004 @ Jun 19th 2008 6:13AM]

It is really hard to take this guy seriously. Well... impossible. He has no credit at all.

[kccboy2004 @ Jun 19th 2008 6:14AM]

No Credibility at all. Nor credit.

[Sirius @ Jun 19th 2008 6:37AM]

Yea, especially since Dell laptops are banned from planes and Apple laptops are stopped at the airport... how did Mossy get them on the plane? This must be a hoax!
:P

[kccboy2004 @ Jun 19th 2008 6:17AM]

One thing is for sure. Any airline that brings this in on, I am not flying with. Of course until I am forced. But my preference will be to not fly with an airline that has this.

So, forget it AA !!

[sco0bz @ Jun 19th 2008 6:59AM]

So how many times did he say "iphone" this time? ;)

[Wayne Schulz @ Jun 19th 2008 7:09AM]

Yeah I don't get this -- if all the passengers on a loaded plane are sharing one connection -- the throughput is going to be dismal

Sure you can fly proof of concept with one guy in the planet.

Just like earlier posters have noted -- when you load this plane up with people streaming audio and video -- you're going to be lucky to download one email during your flight.

Believe it when I see it.

[neofolklore @ Jun 19th 2008 7:38AM]

THIS IS DUMB AND I HAVE NOTHING CONSTRUCTIVE TO SAY, WAS THE PLANE ON CRUISE CONTROL LIKE ME?

[jorvay @ Jun 19th 2008 9:06AM]

That depends: if he's using Windows, he'll just say it'd be faster on a mac.

[Drewba @ Jun 23rd 2008 12:21AM]

Man... I was hoping I was going to be able to use my hotspots@home phone with this!

[Rick @ Jun 19th 2008 12:50PM]

"...just returned from a US test flight on a small business jet equipped... "

As usual he uses loaded dice. He was the only user on a small jet. Just like his reviews of equipment. He gets everything for free to review and then probably gets a heck of a discount if he wants to buy one.

[K @ Jun 25th 2008 1:03PM]

They let him fly with all those devices ? What were they thinking !!!!!!!!