Daily Marauder

IN FLIGHT WI-FI: YOU’RE FREE TO SURF THE FRIENDLY SKIES

According to a report from Forrester Research, 45 percent of travelers would pay $10 for access to the internet for a 4+ hour flight.

OK, so there’s interest. But who offers what, for how much, and when will we be able to get it? See the chart below. Click on the image below to enlarge.

Chart updated 7/17/08 via new data available on the time lines and number of planes testing.

Above, you see two types of in-flight broadband products: air-to-ground and satellite.

Air to Ground

A network of 92 existing cell towers located across the United States provide data access.

Pros:

• Each tower offers a coverage range of 250 miles because nothing blocks the signal.

Cons:

• Think early internet speeds. 3-Mbps throughput.
• More expensive than satellite-based.

Satellite

Geosynchronous satellites beam data signals to the planes.

Pros:

• 30-Mbps (comparable to low-end DSL)
• Cheaper than air to ground

Cons:

• Trouble connecting during difficult weather.
• More expensive for the carriers to install.

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