In-flightInternet
Latest
Gogo in-flight WiFi taking off in six Delta flights tomorrow
We already knew that Delta was pushing its in-flight WiFi plans ahead, and starting tomorrow, a half dozen MD-88 shuttle flights will be live with internet from 35,000 feet. As with Virgin America, Delta Air Lines will be relying on Aircell's Gogo technology, though it will go down as the first US carrier to initiate a "fleet-wide rollout." Eventually, over 300 domestic mainline aircraft will enable guests to surf the intarwebz from way up high, and you'll know if the one you're boarding is lit if you see one of the above pictured "Wi-Fi Onboard" logos on the boarding door. The launch flights -- which will run from December 16th through the 31st -- will provide gratis access to the web, while standard pricing of $9.95 on flights of three hours or less and $12.95 on flights of more than three hours will presumably kick in on January 1, 2009. Happy trails, and don't forget to give us a visit while you're up there.[Via Switched]
Aircell's Gogo in-flight WiFi goes live commercially on Virgin America
The time has come, internet mavens... to comment on this post from 35,000 feet up, of course. After launching to a select handful of lucky souls last week, Virgin America has gone live with its Aircell-engineered Gogo internet service on select flights. As of now, an undisclosed amount of VA flights will offer guests unlimited use (with certain restrictions around VoIP, we hear) while in the air for $12.95 on flights longer than three hours and $9.95 for flights under three hours. The airline's entire fleet should be WiFi-ready by Q1 2009, but for now, why not kill some time tracking planes with live internet access? Fun, right?
American Airlines goes live with in-flight WiFi service
At long last, "you are now free to surf the intarwebz while flying." Okay, so maybe it has been possible in the past, but American Airlines is taking a huge leap forward in the US market today by giving passengers aboard long-haul Boeing 767-200 flights the option to hop online during the trip. The GoGo service, which is being provided by Aircell, will charge customers $12.95 for access to the world wide web, though Reuters points out that VoIP calling is "not available." Delta, US Airways, et al. -- time to get with the program.[Via Dallas News, thanks Travis]
American Airlines rolling out in-flight WiFi to 15 more jets
American Airlines ran a "dress rehearsal" of its AirCell-powered in-fight WiFi service last month, and it looks like it was a success -- the airline is set to expand the trial to some 15 jets over the coming weeks, with tests expected to last six months. The tests are apparently more to evaluate the speed and reliability of the wireless connection, rather than to study the impact on the plane's avionics, so it looks like this is finally happening -- we'd recommend against wearing your WiFi-detector shirts through security, however.[Via Wired]
Hands-on with BetaBlue, JetBlue's WiFi-equipped Airbus
Generally we're the type to pass out the second we've stowed our carry-on items safely in the overhead bin, but on a recent test flight for a gang of reporters, photographers, Fortune 500 execs, and the obligatory PR team, JetBlue managed to keep us awake by magically letting us communicate with our friends and colleagues on the ground over IM and email. Actually, it takes a lot more than magic for the Airbus A320 named "BetaBlue" to bring limited WiFi connectivity to properly-equipped passengers throughout the single-class cabin: quite a bit of technical and administrative work went into getting this service off the ground, from snatching up and deploying a rare slice of 800MHz ground-to-air spectrum to effectively managing cell tower connections while traveling over 500mph to developing clients that would maximize the precious bandwidth being shared by so many mobile gadget lovers. Keep reading after the break for all of our impressions from this media preview voyage, and don't forget to hit up the gallery below for glimpses of the entire experience along with some of the screenshots you can expect to see in-flight... %Gallery-11394%
JetBlue introduces free in-flight email, IM
In a welcome first for domestic airlines, JetBlue will be rolling out free in-flight Yahoo IM and email services to passengers packing WiFi-equipped devices, starting aboard its new "BetaBlue" Airbus A320. Once this test-bed passenger jet reaches 10,000 feet, an in-plane network with three in-ceiling access points is activated, allowing most any wireless gadget with a Flash-enabled browser to view specialized versions of either Yahoo Messenger or Mail through a universal landing page. What's more, owners of certain BlackBerry handsets like the 8820 or Curve 8320 can keep feeding their addictions non-stop thanks to an agreement between JetBlue and RIM. Bandwidth for these services is provided by LiveTV, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the carrier that provides the entire fleet with select DirecTV and XM radio channels, and which also happens to possess a valuable 1MHz slice of ground-to-air spectrum that it's deploying for this very purpose (with the help of some 100 existing cell towers around the country). If all goes well in what is admittedly a beta test, more aircraft will receive the WiFi makeover, and more features -- such as access to terabytes of locally-stored multimedia content -- will be rolled out, along with additional service providers besides Yahoo. Just don't expect an open pipe any time soon: that sweet little slice of spectrum is not nearly robust enough to handle the heavy Slinging, VoIPing, and Torrenting you all would obviously be doing.
Alaska Air hoping to add in-flight WiFi in 2008
Joining Shenzhen Airlines, Qantas, and a whole host of others, Alaska Air is the newest airline to promise us in-flight WiFi when coming onboard. Reportedly, the firm "will test a system from Row 44, a provider of broadband communication for airlines, on a Boeing 737 in spring 2008," and if all goes well, it will then equip its 114-aircraft fleet with the goods. Notably, Alaska Air also stated that it had been working with Row 44 "for two years to bring in-flight broadband to market," so here's to hoping that all that hard work pays off early next year.
AirCell set to hook up Virgin America with in-flight broadband
Fresh from inking a deal with American Airlines, relative newcomer AirCell is now set to bring its in-flight internet knowhow to Virgin America, with the pair officially announcing the partnership today. In addition to letting passengers use their own personal WiFi-equipped devices on flights, the service will also be used to provide broadband internet to Virgin's RED in-flight entertainment system, which we recently got to check out first hand. Just don't expect to be able to do that right away, with the service only "anticipated" to roll out across Virgin's entire fleet "sometime in 2008."
Shenzhen Airlines announces in-flight cellphone, internet service
Having already brought its in-flight cellphone and internet service to Europe and Australia, Swiss-based OnAir is now giving passengers in China some added in-flight convenience/annoyance of their own, with it finding a partner in the country's Shenzhen Airlines. Much like Boeing's recent ill-fated Connexion experiment, OnAir's service will let you use your own cellphone to make calls or send text messages, with in-flight internet thrown in for good measure (and an added price, no doubt). Those heading to or from China won't be able to whip out their phones and laptops just yet though, with the company saying they only expect the service to be up and running by mid-2009, although they hope to have three demonstration aircraft ready in time for the Beijing Olympics next year.
Panasonic to salvage Connexion for own in-flight use?
For those of you a-feared of losing your in-flight internets due to Boeing's recent decision to shutter their Connexion service, it looks like there could be more hope on the horizon. Turns out Panasonic is going to give it a shot, with their new service that bumps speeds to 12Mbps/3Mbps from Boeing's weak-sauce 5Mbps/1Mbps, and can be easily deployed in planes already prepped for Connexion. In order to have a sizable rollout, and to make sure existing Connexion users aren't left high and dry, Panasonic has set a 60-day deadline for airlines to sign up 500 planes to the service -- they have 150 committed so far. Along with improved speeds, Panasonic is using some cheaper and more compact equipment, and they hope to pass those savings along to the airlines with a wholesale rate comparable to terrestrial access. Whether that means cheaper prices for users remains to be seen -- we're not holding our breath.[Via Techdirt]
Boeing disconnecting Connexion
Business travelers -- especially those who regularly fly long-haul international routes -- are not gonna be happy about this one: after reviewing the long-term sustainability of its in-flight Connexion broadband service and reportedly seeking buyers to take over the money-losing operation, Boeing has finally decided to simply scrap the service and exit the nascent market. Citing lack of interest in its pricey offering, company Chairman, President, and CEO Jim McNerney opined that "we believe this decision best balances the long-term interests of all parties with a stake in Connexion by Boeing;" though by "all parties," he probably wasn't including our many commenters who reportedly enjoyed the ability to web surf and get their WOW-on miles above the Earth. Although the news is obviously bad for investors (benefits from the lack of further investment in the service won't initially outweigh the additional charges the company now expects to recognize this year), at least "the majority of Connexion employees" will reportedly be able to find jobs elsewhere in the organization. It still seems pretty clear that there's some demand out there for in-flight communication options (well, not if you ask Verizon), but unfortunately for Boeing, being an early adopter in this market just didn't pan out.[Via the::unwired]
Boeing looking to sell/scrap Connexion?
After several years of unsuccessfully attempting to coax people into surfing the Internet for a fee instead of sleeping during their international flights, it looks like Boeing has finally given up and started seeking buyers for its Connexion service, according to sources cited by the Wall Street Journal (subscription required, as usual). While the company had high hopes for the pricey offering (it costs $27 to stay connected for a full flight) when it was announced in April 2000, the lack of adoption by US carriers -- only a handful of foreign airlines such as Lufthansa, Air China, and El Al have installed the necessary equipment -- combined with the lukewarm reception from passengers have convinced Boeing to ditch the service at all costs. The Journal reports that three satellite firms are negotiating to either buy the division outright or become major partners, but if the parties involved are unable to come to an agreement, Boeing is apparently willing to simply dump the service altogether, according to someone familiar with the talks. Still, even if Boeing does decide to drop the ax, this certainly won't be the last you'll hear about in-flight broadband, as airlines have shown that they'll do whatever they can to squeeze a few more bucks out of you after you've already shelled out for your ticket. Headphone rental fee, anyone?[Via MobileRead]
