Price Not Yet Announced For AirCell Service
It's
one giant step for inflight connectivity. This week, wireless data
and voice communications provider AirCell announced it is teaming
with American Airlines to test broadband services with passengers
across the US beginning in 2008.
AirCell's new Broadband Internet service will allow business and
leisure passengers to check e-mail, surf the Web, tap into an
office network and stay current on the latest news, using their own
Wi-Fi enabled laptops, PDAs, iPhones, BlackBerrys and portable
gaming systems -- while in flight. Passenger testing will be
conducted on American Airlines fleet of Boeing 767-200 aircraft
that primarily fly transcontinental routes.
The company says this high-speed broadband Internet service is
made possible by AirCell's unique air-to-ground network, which uses
the latest technology to transmit and receive data between the
ground and the aircraft. American Airlines customer testing will
incorporate the following features and capabilities upon initial
rollout:
Nationwide in-flight broadband Internet service
Coast-to-coast, border-to-border, US coverage, extending from
the Atlantic to the Pacific and the Canadian to the Mexican
borders
Usable by passengers equipped with 802.11a/b/g Wi-Fi enabled
devices Real-time access to the Internet (using the passenger's own
browser, bookmarks, etc.)
An array of context and destination-related content
"We understand that broadband connectivity is important to our
business customers and others who want to use their PDAs and
laptops for real-time, in-flight broadband communications," said
Dan Garton, Executive Vice President - Marketing for American
Airlines. "This is part of our continuing effort to take the lead
in enhancing the travel experience for our customers and meet their
evolving needs."
"Travelers are already bringing their own Wi-Fi enabled devices
onto planes," said Jack Blumenstein, AirCell CEO. "Bringing
broadband access onto domestic flights at an everyday, affordable
price provides travelers the opportunity to recapture time. Making
productive use of the time in the air will give them time back on
the ground with family or just relaxing.
"Airline customers across the US list broadband access in flight
as one of their top wishes," continued Blumenstein. "As the first
airline to deploy broadband access, American is demonstrating its
commitment to the business traveler and to its industry-leading
position in technological innovation."
The cost of the service on American Airlines will be announced
at the time of service roll-out.