would you want to use internet while flying?

[karyn]

from yahoo

American Airlines to test Wi-Fi onboard

Thu Aug 2, 12:04 PM ET

FORT WORTH, Texas - American Airlines says it will be the first U.S. carrier to test high-speed Internet service in flight.

The airline said Wednesday that it will test the service next year on some Boeing 767-200 jets that mostly fly transcontinental routes.

American will charge a fee for the hookup but won't announce the charge until broadband-equipped flights are ready to go, according to AirCell LLC, the company providing the hookup.

American, a unit of AMR Corp., said it signed a memorandum of intent with AirCell to provide the service.

AirCell will build cellular towers throughout the continental United States to transmit the signals. Planes will has three antennas, two on the bottom and one on top.

The service will work with WiFi-equipped notebook computers and PDAs, the airline said.

The Fort Worth-based airline's executive vice president of marketing, Daniel P. Garton, said if the service is a success, it could be expanded throughout American's fleet.

The airline expects demand for the service to come from business travelers.

The use of Internet and wireless signals is regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration and the Federal Communications Commission.

AirCell Chief Executive Jack Blumenstein said travelers already bring WiFi-enabled devices on planes. He said they list high-speed Internet service in flight among their top wishes.

AirCell sells Internet service for business jets and helicopters. It said it won an exclusive broadband frequency license in 2006 from the FCC. The company has facilities in Kentucky, Colorado and Illinois.

___

On the Net: AirCell LLC: http://www.aircell.com

American Airlines: http://www.aa.com

[inox]

Absolutely. I get bored as hell on long flights, and sometimes obsessively watch the progress indicator.

[Mr Karl]

it'll probably be expensive

[One Eyed Cat]

I'd just scrobble my ipod when I landed.

Jackie T

[VoltaireBlue]

nah, I'd probably just watch movies on my psp.....

[Mindgames]

Given how much my skyphone calls cost, it had better be insanely high speed because I'll only be able to afford to connect for half a second.

Besides, it'll only work in first as you can't surf porn with a sweaty insurance salesman leaning on one shoulder and a Unitarian grandmother on the other, both of whom will ask what 'furring' is but for different reasons.


I'd much prefer them to lose all the in-flight extras and just give everyone a tranquilizer shot. Stack em in, fly em cheap and wake em up on arrival without jetlag or food poisoning. If they won't do it for all of us, then for the love of sanity do it to the kid sitting behind me.

[Amelia G]

Given how much my skyphone calls cost, it had better be insanely high speed because I'll only be able to afford to connect for half a second.

Besides, it'll only work in first as you can't surf porn with a sweaty insurance salesman leaning on one shoulder and a Unitarian grandmother on the other, both of whom will ask what 'furring' is but for different reasons.


I'd much prefer them to lose all the in-flight extras and just give everyone a tranquilizer shot. Stack em in, fly em cheap and wake em up on arrival without jetlag or food poisoning. If they won't do it for all of us, then for the love of sanity do it to the kid sitting behind me.

You've got my vote for Transportation Czar

[Wickedanima]

I'd play WoW. Although maybe I'm a bit addicted...

[dead_but_twitching]

guys,,, since you're not doing anything special when flying, you might aswell surf around the net = (doing nothing at all).... it beats the crap out of staring into the back of an airplane seat...

it's PERFECT
finally a legitamate excuse for being on the bb boards for 10 hours straight :P

every airplane should have a laser or a dish operated internet with 100mb/sec!!

where is the UN when you need them!?

[Mindgames]

..and why is it I can see USCS getting your browsing history before your luggage has even hit the floor..

"So sir.. I see you ticked the box saying you had never, will never and know nobody who ever said Osama Bin Laden was 'a nice guy', but this here printout shows you spent exactly fifteen seconds looking at females of a non-clothed nature. Sweet Mother of God what kind of hinky-assed pervert ARE YOU????"

[One Eyed Cat]

..and why is it I can see USCS getting your browsing history before your luggage has even hit the floor..

"So sir.. I see you ticked the box saying you had never, will never and know nobody who ever said Osama Bin Laden was 'a nice guy', but this here printout shows you spent exactly fifteen seconds looking at females of a non-clothed nature. Sweet Mother of God what kind of hinky-assed pervert ARE YOU????"

Customs. I'm more concerned with immigration. If they continue to cut back on H1B visas; we will not have the ability to keep up in areas such as medicine, engineering, science, and other areas requiring innovation. The United States does not have the ability to keep up with the rest of the world without the talent of immigrants. We are simply incapable of developing the talent amongst folks born here.

No internet on planes. It is too risky for our next generation of doctors. I would prefer a Cardiologist from Qatar not be flagged by Billy Bob from Customs.

Jackie T

[seeker]

It will be to expensive to use probably unless you can charge it as a necessary business expense. Now that should be interesting.