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United Airlines has introduced onboard satellite-based Wi-Fi Internet connectivity on the first of its international widebody aircraft, thus, becoming the first U.S.-based international carrier to offer customers the ability to stay connected while traveling on long-haul overseas routes.
Virgin America was the first airline to get the new wireless tech, and Gogo has already installed it on 25 aircraft, including planes from Delta Airlines and US Airways. The faster Wi-Fi will also be coming to some aircraft in the fleets of American Airlines and United next year. Gogo says "hundreds" of planes will have the new tech by the end of 2013.
The aircraft, a Boeing 747 outfitted with Panasonic Avionics Corporation’s Ku-band satellite technology, serves trans-Atlantic and trans-Pacific routes. Additionally, United has outfitted Ku-band satellite Wi-Fi on two Airbus 319 aircraft serving domestic routes, offering customers faster inflight Internet service than air-to-ground technology (ATG). The company expects to complete installation of satellite-based Wi-Fi on 300 mainline aircraft by the end of this year.
“Satellite-based Wi-Fi service enables us to better serve our customers and offer them more of what they want in a global airline,” said Jim Compton, vice chairman and chief revenue officer, United. “With this new service, we continue to build the airline that customers want to fly.”
Customers have the choice of two speeds: 'standard', priced initially between $3.99 and $14.99 depending on the duration of flight, and 'accelerated', priced initially between $5.99 and $19.99 and offering faster download speeds than Standard.
United will install satellite-based Wi-Fi on Airbus 319 and 320 aircraft, and on Boeing 737, 747, 757, 767, 777 and 787 aircraft. Customers will be able to use their wireless devices such as laptops, smart phones and tablets onboard those aircraft to connect with internet service using the in-flight hotspot.
Sources: efytimes via amazing technology
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