Last we heard from the Connexion by Boeing service, it was slated to get shut off by the end of the year (sheesh, that's like, in 10 days). However, it wasn't that bad, because ASiQ and Panasonic were supposed to take over the market that Boeing left behind. However, Panasonic's version looks like it won't get implemented anytime soon due to "financial and regulatory complications," which appear to prevent the service from going live until 2008. Further, WiFi expert Glenn Fleishman says that a company called AirCell was supposed to be launching a cheaper air-to-ground Internet service in late 2007 within North America and the Caribbean, but recently announced that it would be delayed until early 2008. So it looks like that this coming year, the skies will be a little unfriendlier, as far as net access goes -- let's hope that ASiQ comes through as planned.

[Via Techdirt]

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We'd really love to have affordable, ubiquitous internet access while airborne. Sadly, with the announcement two months ago of the unplugging of Connexion by Boeing by the end of the year, that day seems farther and farther away. Sure, ASiQ's (or Panasonic's) service may be coming up in the future, but we'd like to see something a little more immediate and a little less expensive. Luckily for us, Boeing will be making the last two and a half months of its service available for free -- so we'd like to tip our hats to our Seattle and Chicago-based friends for having such a classy exit strategy.

[Via MobileRead]

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]