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Gogo gets the green light to provide in-flight WiFi over Canada
Folks over in the US of A have been utilizing Gogo's up-in-the-air wireless amenities for quite some time now, which isn't something we can say about our dear neighbors from The Great White North -- unless, of course, you count the company's current Aircell's Gogo Biz service. That said, Gogo's finally received the go-ahead to bring its in-flight WiFi goods to both commercial and business planes that are traveling within Canada and cross-border to the States, allowing the internet provider to deliver "seamless service" all-around. According to Gogo, the network will be fully operational by the end of next year, with the company assuring fellow Canadians that they, too, can "soon experience the same technology that has a proven track record of performance and reliability in the U.S." Hit the PR below to delve into the formal nitty-gritty.
United upgrading Gogo in-flight WiFi on its premium service fleet, speeds will reach 9.8 Mbps
It won't be enough to cancel out the Engadget editor using in-flight WiFi to upload photo galleries (sorry, guys), but it should make web surfing from coach a little less tedious. United has just announced that it will be upgrading its Gogo in-air WiFi service to take advantage of Gogo's enhanced ATG-4 service, which promises to bump speeds from the current 3.1 Mbps to 9.8 Mbps using directional antennae, dual modems and EV-DO Rev. B. Before you get too excited, though, keep in mind that United has so far only committed to retrofitting its premium service fleet, which includes 13 planes that fly between New York's JFK and either LAX or SFO.
Delta expanding Gogo in-flight WiFi to select international flights beginning in 2013
Delta Airlines isn't a stranger to offering WiFi on many of its domestic US flights, but using Gogo's air-to-ground connection setup has essentially kept it from taking off over the seas. That's all set to change come 2013, however, as 150 of Delta's long-haul aircraft will make use of all those high-bandwidth Ku-band capacity satellites that Gogo has been acquiring over the past few months. The updated setup will ensure that you can update your Facebook status over the likes of the Atlantic, but it won't be fully rolled out until about 2015. By that time, the airline estimates it'll be operating around 1,000 Gogo-equipped aircraft worldwide -- not too shabby. If anything, the wait to hit 10,000 feet is surely going be more interesting for all the international work-a-holics out there. Hit up the press release after the break for more details in the meantime.
Gogo spreads its in-flight WiFi wings further with SES satellite deal
Rejoice frequent-flying lovers of the Interwebs. All systems continue to be a go for in-flight WiFi provider Gogo as the company inks a deal with yet another satellite operator. A new agreement with global satellite company SES puts Gogo closer to providing seamless WiFi for passengers on intercontinental flights that use its service -- SES' coverage area includes the United States, Europe and the Atlantic Ocean region. The agreement comes along the heels of deals signed by Gogo with Inmarsat for Ka-band frequency service and AeroSat to use its HR6400 satellite communication system for Ku-band connections. The company says Ku-band service could be available on commercial flights using Gogo's network as early as the end of this year, providing more options for, say, Airtime video chat hijinks. As long as Internet access prevents bored kids from kicking the back of our airline seats, then it's all good.
Gogo and AeroSat get friendly on Ku-band, bring international in-flight WiFi closer
Gogo has a virtual lock on in-flight WiFi for the US, but most of us forget that everything goes dark the moment you decide to cross the border. The company already has a deal with Inmarsat for Ka-band Internet connections, and now it's partnering up with AeroSat to bring Ku-band satellite access. The tie-in will let Gogo offer precious relief from tedium on international flights, whether it's a modest hop to the Great White North or an hours-long trip across the ocean. Gogo considers the deal an interim step until Inmarsat's technology is ready, making for much quicker availability than if it had just waited until it could use Ka-band: Ku-band satellite linkups should be on airliners as soon as the end of 2012, while Ka-band won't even show its face until at least late 2014. It's unknown what kind of premium we'll pay over the $13 maximum Gogo normally charges, but if AeroSat lets us squeak in a few more Twitter updates on our way home from Barcelona, it'll be worthwhile.
Gogo goes global: partnership with Inmarsat to give you the internet on international flights
Ahh, Gogo, what a fantastic addition you've been to domestic airline travel. Besides keeping rowdy kids entertained with internet access, it affords well-traveled tech bloggers the ability to do what we do at 30,000 feet. And now, Gogo's wondrous WiFi will do the same for international passengers thanks to Inmarsat's Global Xpress satellite internet service. The partnership adds speedy Ka-band satellite technology to Gogo's existing air-to-ground service starting in 2013. After launching the Inmarsat-5 satellite in midyear, up to 50Mb/s speeds will be at your flying fingertips in some (currently undefined) regions, with worldwide coverage coming in 2014. Full details of your inflight future await in the PR after the break.
American Airlines rolls out in-flight Entertainment On Demand, lets you continue watching after you land
American Airlines gives its Boeing 767-200 fleet all the love -- first it sends some 10.1-inch Galaxy Tabs through the gate, and now in-flight streaming videos get the all-clear to board. If you'll recall, AA's been testing Aircell (Gogo) in-flight video streaming, and now the service has gone live on 15 of the transcontinental wide-bodies flying New York to San Francisco or Los Angeles. You won't need to purchase in-flight WiFi to access Entertainment On Demand, but it currently only works on "select laptops," with rentals for television shows priced at $0.99 and movies at $3.99. You'll also be able to access your purchased TV and movie content on your device for 72 or 24 hours, respectively, if your flight soars into its destination ahead of time -- pickins' are quite slim, though, with only around 100 vids to choose from presently. The airline plans to add the service to all of its WiFi-enabled aircraft -- while also expanding device support -- beginning later this year. Fly on for a demo video and press release, parked just past the break.
iPhone dominating GoGo's in-flight Web traffic
Apple is king of the skies, Gogo tells AllThingsD, with iPhones dominating mobile devices using the company's Inflight Internet service. iPhones and iPod touches make up the bulk of mobile devices accessing the Internet from 10,000 feet, while Android trails at 12 percent and Blackberry is even further behind at 6 percent. On the flip side, though, 41 percent of computers accessing Gogo's Internet are Windows-operated while just 20 percent are Macs running OS X. iPads, which are counted among laptops, make up more than a third of the computers accessing Gogo. What Gogo doesn't tell AllThingsD is if more mobile devices access its network than laptops. Mobile devices only are charged US$7.95 for Gogo connectivity during a flight more than 90 minutes long, while laptops and iPads must fork over $12.95 for a flight longer than three hours (a full price list can be found on Gogo's site). If you want to try using your iPhone on a Gogo-equipped flight, check out our review of the Gogo Inflight app. Just remember to keep the phone in Airplane Mode to kill the cell signal, then turn just the Wi-Fi back on.
American Airlines testing in-flight media streaming, staying curiously mum about content selection
American Airlines would like you to pay for movies and shows you're used to getting for free to give you a new way to keep yourselves entertained at 30,000 feet. The airline is testing Aircell's forthcoming service that will let you stream flicks and TV programs to your own WiFi-enabled device. Aircell, the company behind Gogo in-flight WiFi, is curating the library of content, and for now, it's unclear just how extensive the selection will be (last time we checked, the company was staying mum about content partners). And we definitely wonder how smooth the streaming will be on a crowded flight full of web surfers... you know, considering that Gogo already compresses JPEGs on everyday websites. And really, it had better be -- otherwise, you're better off with the complimentary shows and movies bundled into that built-in entertainment center right in front of you. All questions that will get answered when the service launches this fall.
Aircell releases GoGo tech roadmap: EV-DO Rev B in 2012, global satellite coverage by 2015
Aircell started putting its air-to-ground (ATG) mobile broadband technology in planes about three years ago, and its GoGo in-flight internet's reach has grown ever since -- all the way up to the home of mavericks and mama bears. Presently, the company's ambit is limited to the continental US, but that's about to change with the addition of Ka-band satellite coverage that will blanket the US in 2013 and the globe by 2015. Yes, dear readers, that means you'll be able to poke, tweet, and blog your way over international waters. Not only that, next year a new ATG-4 network using EV-DO Rev B promises four times the capacity of its trusty Rev A service we've come to know and love. The company says both upgrades are cheap and easy for carriers -- if only they were rapid as well. PR's after the break.
Gogo Inflight Internet app makes flying sign-ins a snap
If you're one of those people who spends way too much time in airplane seats, you've probably been thrilled with Gogo Inflight Internet. The company provides Internet service on all AirTran and Virgin America flights, and has service on some flights on Air Canada, Alaska, American, Delta, United and US Airways flights. They're expanding to more aircraft and airlines in 2011, so being able to send Twitpics of your seatmate or video of dancing flight attendants will become entirely too commonplace. Gogo wants to make it even easier for you to get online while you're airborne. The free Gogo Inflight Internet app is designed to detect if your flight is equipped with the Gogo network, and if it is (and provided that you've also signed up with the company ahead of the flight), you can get online with a tap of a button. For those of us who still haven't been on a Wi-Fi equipped aircraft and need to sign up for a Gogo account, there's even a button to let you do that while in the app. Unlike the very stupid or naive person who left a 1-star review of the app in the App Store, griping that the Gogo service was not free, I think most TUAW readers are bright enough to understand that this app simply signs you into the service -- you still have to pay for the privilege, which can run anywhere from US$4.95 for a short flight to $34.95 for a month of unlimited in-flight Wi-Fi. The app works on any iOS device, although it's really designed for an iPhone or iPod touch. The TUAW crew is used to seeing fearless leader Victor Agreda wandering the virtual newsroom while on Gogo-equipped flights. I'm just waiting for the opportunity to use Gogo's service to do the first inflight episode of TUAW TV Live... after the airplane reached 10,000 feet and the crew has given us the OK to use approved electronic devices, of course. (Note to Gogo Inflight Internet: the screenshot used above is from your App Store listing. You may want to show that the phone service must be shut off while in flight.)
Gogo plans to expand into in-flight movies, possibly gaming
There's not a lot of firm details just yet, but the CEO of Gogo's parent company, Aircell, has just confirmed that GoGo is planning to take a few steps beyond it's basic in-flight WiFi business this year. That will apparently start with a library of in-flight movies that customers will have access to "later this year," and could eventually expand to other in-flight content including "live gaming." No word on any content partners involved in any of those plans, but CEO Michael Small says that he believes content has the potential to be a" significant" revenue source for the company. Incidentally, this news coincided with GoGo's announcement of a $35 million boost from its latest round of funding and, as mocoNews reports, the company has apparently already hired "a number of executives from internet companies" to help it with its new content offerings.
Aircell tempts HTC HD2 owners with six months free in-flight WiFi
Now that Aircell has finished roping every major US airline into its plan for world domination providing inexpensive WiFi on most every flight, the company's dealmakers have had to fall back on, shall we say, less integral partnerships to advance their strategy. First up? If you're the owner of a shiny new HTC HD2 on T-Mobile, you get six months of Gogo in-flight WiFi, free of charge. Simply register with the company anytime before June 2011 and it's clear skies for your connection. You can consider the expiration date a bonus alarm clock -- by that time, you'll be ready for a phone with enough buttons for Windows Phone 7 Series.
