In-flight Internet
FCC Moves to Introduce High-Speed In-Flight Internet
The Federal Communications Commission moved to establish a multi-gigabit in-flight Internet service using newly–available airwaves in the 14.0-14.5 GHz band on Thursday. The proposal, based largely on a petition from Qualcomm first made in 2011, would involve the creation of 150 ground stations which would beam Internet signals up to aircraft.
In its petition, Qualcomm cited the explosion in mobile broadband usage, noting that the use of mobile is “now an …
United Airlines First U.S. Airline to Offer Wi-Fi on Transoceanic Flights
United Airlines announced it has started to offer in-flight Internet service on its international routes, making it the first U.S. carrier with Wi-Fi on transoceanic flights. The carrier is working with Panasonic Avionics to provide Ku-band satellite-based connectivity on its aircraft. The first international widebody aircraft, a Boeing 747, went live on January 15, 2013.
Passengers can choose between two speeds: Standard and Accelerated . Accelerated offers faster download speeds than …
Great Moments in Travel History – January 2013
One of the first transatlantic business trips came to an end on January 15,1493: Christopher Columbus began his return trip to Spain, after crossing the Atlantic westward in 1492.
On January 7, 1785, the English Channel was traversed by air for the first time, when Jean-Pierre Blanchard and John Jeffries flew across the English Channel from Dover, England, to a forest near Calais, France in their hydrogen filled balloon. However, the balloon …
New Boeing Test Uses Potatoes to Improve Wi-Fi, Other Wireless Signals
Boeing, the nation’s largest airplane manufacturer, announced what it called a “breakthrough” in the procedures it uses to improve wireless connectivity inside aircraft.
Boeing engineers discovered that potatoes serve as the ideal stand-in for actual passengers as their presence in the aircraft causes electronic signals to behave the same way as a human presence would. The new testing methodology, carried out in a decommissioned aircraft on the ground, allows the Chicago-based …
Great Moments in Travel History – December 2012
On December 27, 1919, the Boeing Airplane Co. B-1 mail plane, the first Boeing-designed commercial aircraft, made its first flight.
North American Aviation Inc. (NAA) was formed as a holding company in Delaware on December 6, 1928. Although originally part of Rockwell International, NAA was sold to Boeing in December of 1996.
On December 7, 1946, the deadliest hotel fire in United States history occurred at the Winecoff Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia. …
Gogo Upgrades In-Flight Internet Service
Gogo has launched ATG-4, its next generation connectivity technology, on Delta, US Airways, and Virgin America. The service is expected to allow more passengers to access the Internet by increasing capacity to the aircraft.
Gogo has already installed the upgraded service on over 25 domestic aircraft. It plans to launch offer its ATG-4 service on American Airlines flights, as well as United Airlines’ p.s. (premium service) fleet in 2013.
Gogo’s ATG-4 technology …
