Virgin America announces in-air broadband plans |
Start up airline Virgin America is reaching out to the tech loving crowds by announcing its plans to potentially be the first U.S. airline to offer wireless Internet. It has teamed with AirCell, a provider of global airborne telecommunications and the winner of the FCC’s exclusive broadband frequency license in 2006, and promises to have the service up and running in 2008.
The new air-to-ground broadband internet service will be available to flyers through a Wi-Fi enabled personal device or the airline’s Red Inflight Entertainment system found at each seat. People will be able to browse the Web, check email and use the airline’s onboard chat system to access instant messaging services like Yahoo and Skype.
You have to wonder what moves like this will do to those infamous “stow your electronics” rules for landing and takeoff. Maybe I’ll actually be able to finish an album on my iPod in peace for once…
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