Prepare for Wi-Fi In the Skies

For consumers who find themselves traveling more and more for work, there is good news on the horizon for passengers flying on American Airlines. In the past, traveling on long flights meant no phones, no emails, no internet from take off until landing, making for loss of productivity in the skies. However, it is all starting to change. Flights will soon no longer be an excuse for a few hours of rest.

By the year 2011, more than 200 American Airlines domestic passenger flights will have Wi-Fi capability. The move is in effort to increase both the services available to airline passengers as well as bring in much needed money to the airlines. Currently, 15 of American Airlines Boeing aircrafts already had trial periods of broadband services on non-stop flights between New York’s JFK and San Francisco, Miami, and Los Angeles.

The addition of the Wi-Fi services will enable passengers to access the internet, check their emails, access corporate VPN, and send instant messages during the flight. Once the aircraft has reached 10,000 feet in the air, passengers can turn on Wi-Fi enabled devices, included hand-help PDA’s, smartphones, and laptops. Upon opening their browsers, they will be redirected to the Gogo portal page where they can register, pay, and start using the service. Gogo provides high-speed internet service to the airlines. It is powered by the Aircell ATG (air-to-ground) system, which utilizes three small antennas installed outside the plane which connects to Aircell’s exclusive nation-wide broadband network.  Upon the conclusion of the trial period, American Airlines found that indeed passengers were very willing to register for and use the mobile broadband amenities.

The cost of the services initially will depend on the length of the flight and the type of device being used. The pricing plans from Aircell are as follows:

Mobile Flight Pass $7.95
For hand-held devises, this price includes usage on flights of any amount of time.

Short Flight Pass $9.95
This is the standard price for Wi-Fi access on all flights ranging from 3 hours or less in time.

Long Flight Pass $12,95
This is the standard price for Wi-Fi access on all flights ranging 3 hours or more.

The paid sessions for the Gogo access does not include service for cell phones or VoIP services. Passengers who appreciate the opportunity to work and increase productivity while on flights, especially long flights, may find the prices reasonable and worth it to stay in touch from the skies.

It’s not just in the skies that mobile broadband is gaining popularity. You can now have mobile wireless internet everywhere with the proliferation of cell-phone broadband services. You can learn more about these services at http://www.broadbandexpert.com/.

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