dslreports logo
Aircell Offers New $34.95 Monthly In-Flight Broadband Plan
And it can be used on any GoGo-equipped airline...
In case you didn't know, the majority of this country's belated in-flight broadband service is now being provided by a company named Aircell. Aircell offers the service via the GoGo brand, which charges flyers $7.95 for smart phone access on flights of any length, $4.95 for flights 1.5 hours or less, $9.95 for flights between 1.5 and 3 hours, and $12.95 on flights of more than three hours. Today the company announced they were offering an additional pricing option: a $34.95 monthly auto-renewing plan that allows users to consume unlimited GoGo in-flight broadband service on any airline. With a small hitch:
quote:
Passengers can purchase the Gogo Monthly Subscription through the inflight portal, just as they do today. Once registered, passengers will have Internet access on all Gogo equipped flights. Though it will be redeemable on all equipped airlines, Gogo Monthly Subscription will initially be available for purchase on AirTran Airways, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and Virgin America; all airlines that have equipped a high percentage of their fleet with Gogo.
Hopefully by "unlimited," Aircell actually really means unlimited -- though that seems unlikely given this is a ground tower, EVDO-driven service. We're still waiting for in-flight broadband service pricing to shake out -- given that not a lot of people are apparently willing to shell out for the service at current rates. Airlines continue to tinker with pricing, with Continental toying with a system that delivers e-mail for free, but browsing for a fee.
view:
topics flat nest 

Duramax08
To The Moon
Premium Member
join:2008-08-03
San Antonio, TX

Duramax08

Premium Member

Useless

for the average person. This is only good for corporate people flying a few days every week.

wifi4milez
Big Russ, 1918 to 2008. Rest in Peace
join:2004-08-07
New York, NY

1 edit

wifi4milez

Member

Re: Useless

said by Duramax08:

for the average person. This is only good for corporate people flying a few days every week.
This is worth it for people who fly far less often that a few days a week. In fact, if you fly more than twice a month this plan will pay for itself. At $12.95 per long haul flight, this is the cheapest option for 'frequent fliers'. As someone else mentioned, if they allowed for roaming at the airports this would be a slam dunk for many people.

IPPlanMan
Holy Cable Modem Batman
join:2000-09-20
Washington, DC

IPPlanMan

Member

Cool!

More billable hours! Yay!

Trimline
Premium Member
join:2004-10-24
Windermere, FL

1 recommendation

Trimline

Premium Member

Re: Cool!

+1

I LMAO when I saw your post. As a contractor, my thoughts exactly!

r81984
Fair and Balanced
Premium Member
join:2001-11-14
Katy, TX

r81984

Premium Member

Not alot of people??

A lot of people would gladly pay $5 or $10 for wifi on an airplane. After paying $200 to $300 for a ticket, $5 or $10 is nothing.

If my company still had me flying everywhere the $35 is well worth it. The problem right now is not many plans have wifi yet.
I have only been on one plane since last may that had gogo or any wifi. They need to equip more planes.

The only problem is when the terminal charges $7 for boingo and then you have to pay $10 on your flight. Airlines really need to either give free wifi in their terminals or allow gogo purchasers to use wifi in the terminals for free.

Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02

Karl Bode

News Guy

Re: Not alot of people??

A lot of people would gladly pay $5 or $10 for wifi on an airplane.
Apparently not. Airlines aren't saying how many people are using them, but insiders say that it's still a very small minority:

»www.portfolio.com/busine ··· dex.html

I think a lot of people already feel nickel and dimed by airlines and may be boarding with the mindset of being unwilling to pay another red cent.

I've used GoGo to work, but I imagine a lot of people like the peace and quiet and break from connectivity.
ISurfTooMuch
join:2007-04-23
Tuscaloosa, AL

ISurfTooMuch

Member

Re: Not alot of people??

Yes, indeed! When I get on a plane, I try my best to relax, and if I'm lucky, catch a short nap. I don't feel the need to be connected every minute of the day.

Kinda reminds me of the people who go on cruise boards and ask how they can send/receive e-mail, IM, and cell phone calls while on the ship. You're on vacation, for God's sake! Unplug from the network for a while. The world will get along fine without you, and your messages will be waiting for you when you get back home.

voipguy
join:2006-05-31
Forest Hills, NY

voipguy to r81984

Member

to r81984
You got it!

If Gogo offered roaming onto all (or most) paid airport WiFi networks during the term of the service (daily or monthly), they would get a lot more business.

misiek
Premium Member
join:2000-12-25
Round Lake, IL

misiek

Premium Member

In-flight VOIP possible?

I don't mind people browsing or texting, but if a person in next seat starts flapping his/her mouth, it's gonna get rather interesting ...

voipguy
join:2006-05-31
Forest Hills, NY

voipguy

Member

Re: In-flight VOIP possible?

I tried to dial in to a conference call (mostly to listen in) via Gogo, and it would not work. Tried several services including Skype too. Ports are not blocked, however the low bandwidth and variable latency is just not conducive to VOIP.

wifi4milez
Big Russ, 1918 to 2008. Rest in Peace
join:2004-08-07
New York, NY

wifi4milez

Member

Re: In-flight VOIP possible?

said by voipguy:

I tried to dial in to a conference call (mostly to listen in) via Gogo, and it would not work. Tried several services including Skype too. Ports are not blocked, however the low bandwidth and variable latency is just not conducive to VOIP.
It worked fine for me, although the latency made having the call frustrating.

AnonPerson
join:2000-08-26
Lexington, KY

AnonPerson

Member

Ocean

So, most flight over 3 hours, at least the ones I've been on, are over an ocean. How exactly would they provide reliable internet over the ocean? 12.95 seems pretty steep.

r81984
Fair and Balanced
Premium Member
join:2001-11-14
Katy, TX

r81984

Premium Member

Re: Ocean

Try going east cost to west coast.
Or just from Houston to Seattle (about 5 hrs).

Alot of flights over land are well over 3 hours.

tshirt
Premium Member
join:2004-07-11
Snohomish, WA

tshirt to AnonPerson

Premium Member

to AnonPerson
said by AnonPerson:

So, most flight over 3 hours, at least the ones I've been on, are over an ocean. How exactly would they provide reliable internet over the ocean? 12.95 seems pretty steep.
Satellites (or maybe alien spacecraft? When you look at all the costs involved BEFORE a single call is ever made $12.95 is pretty cheap, even for crappy service.
Don't forget to by the optional $6.95 "My neighbor got tired of my endless yaking, and shoved a bag of peanuts up my nose" insurance.
ISurfTooMuch
join:2007-04-23
Tuscaloosa, AL

ISurfTooMuch

Member

Re: Ocean

Ships use satellite in these areas, so I would assume planes also do. Probably the same for domestic flights.
stufried
Premium Member
join:2003-10-13

stufried

Premium Member

Re: Ocean

I don't think GoGo covers transoceanic flights. Last I looked, they were trying to extend coverage over Canadian skies:

»www.gogoinflight.com/gog ··· anada.do

Tom0
Premium Member
join:2000-09-10
Chicago, IL

Tom0 to AnonPerson

Premium Member

to AnonPerson
AFAIK, Gogo is only offered on domestic portions of flights, as it uses a ground-based system of cell towers (unless this has recently changed, but I'm pretty sure they don't have any birds in orbit).