Wi-fi: Coming soon on board U.S. airplanes
Air travelers starved for in-flight Internet access may soon find solace, thanks to a Colorado company that wants to offer Wi-fi service aloft.
AirCell said Monday that it plans to use a newly acquired radio spectrum license to offer “affordable” broadband service aboard commercial airplanes. Formed in 1991, the company already sells satellite-based voice and data services to the general aviation sector, primarily the corporate jet set.
In the style of cafe hot spots, AirCell’s idea would let passengers link up any computer or handheld using the 802.11b or 802.11g wireless standards while in the air. The network, which the privately held company hopes to begin testing and deploying on commercial aircraft next year, would work by channeling communications from at least one miniature cell site–called a “picocell”–on the plane to special cell sites on the ground. - CNET News
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