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Bluetooth Access Point brings text messaging, voice messaging, email to the friendly skies
Whether you covet your Irish friends' ability to make in-flight cellphone calls or value your aerial naps too much to care either way, you must admit that the promise of in-flight SMS, MMS, voice messaging, and text email is tantalizing. To this end, the kids at Asiq have announced a little something called the Bluetooth Access Point. This device uses the aircraft's satellite link to send data to your respective carrier, eliminates the need for a picocell, and boasts up to 3Mb/s speeds. Now let's see how quickly this bad boy gets approved for use! (Or not.) PR after the break.
Panasonic's in-flight internet service delayed until 2008
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]Read - Wi-Fi Net NewsRead - Wall Street Journal
Connexion by Boeing to be free until Dec. 31
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]
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]
ASiQ promises safe in-flight cellphone use
If ASiQ has its way, worries about cellphones bringing down airplanes could soon be a thing of the past, thanks to its still well-guarded system that would let passengers make in-flight calls using their own phone. They're being stingy with deets on account of their patent status, but what we do know is that the system will consist of a device that's connected to your cellphone by either a cable or Bluetooth connection, and that it'll supposedly work with GSM, CDMA, UMTS and EDGE. It also won't be free, of course, but ASiQ says it'll be inexpensive. What's more, they claim they've managed to address the privacy concerns of other people on the plane. We still think the Cone of Silence is the answer, but we're guessing they've cooked up something decidedly less cool (and probably less effective).[Via textually.org]
