Jeff Campbell
03-02-2009, 04:00 PM
<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.macworld.com/article/139102/2009/02/wifi_alaskaairlines.html' target='_blank'>http://www.macworld.com/article/139...kaairlines.html</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"Alaska Airlines is the latest carrier to launch in-flight Wi-Fi, offering passengers on a specially equipped Boeing 737 a service that uses satellites instead of cellular towers to connect the plane to the Internet."</em></p><p><em><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/at/auto/1235953242.usr105634.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #d2d2bb;" /></em></p><p>Service is due to begin this Thursday, and will be free during the initial 60-day testing phase. They are partnering with <a href="http://www.row44.com/" target="_blank">Row 44</a> to provide the service, while others in the airline industry have opted to go with <a href="http://www.aircell.com/" target="_blank">Aircell's Gogo</a> system. The difference is that the Gogo system links to the Internet over specialized <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolution-Data_Optimized" target="_blank">EV-DO</a> towers on the ground. Row 44 on the other hand uses a satellite-based system. The reason they chose this provider is due to the amount of flights that take the <a href="http://www.alaskaair.com/" target="_blank">Alaska Airline</a> fleet over water and wilderness areas, typically not places you might see a cell tower I suppose. After the testing phase the price was expected to be around $10/flight USD, but they have backed off that estimate due to the "economic conditions" all airlines are facing. </p>