Aircell
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This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. (August 2008) |
Aircell is a private company started in 1991 developing broadband for both private and commercial aviation. Aircell is the only company in the United States authorized by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to use frequencies in the 800 MHz band for inflight communications. Aircell successfully bid $31.3 million for a 3 MHz air-to-ground spectrum in an FCC auction in June 2006.[1] The system is based on the TIA-856-A Evolution Data Optimized (EV-DO) standard.[2]
Aircell holds over 20 patents relating to technology for airborne telecommunications. Formation, based in Moorestown, NJ, developed two critical hardware components of Aircell's Gogo Inflight Internet system: its Central Processor Unit (ACPU) and the custom built Cabin Wireless Access Point (CWAP).[3]
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History [edit]
The company states that the idea for Aircell began in a barbecue restaurant in Denison, Texas, where company founder Jimmy Ray first made sketches on a paper napkin for an affordable telephone system for airplanes. Jimmy Ray subsequently formed Aircell.
On August 1, 2007, American Airlines partnered with Aircell to offer broadband on American's flights.[4] On September 13, 2007, Virgin America partnered with Aircell to add broadband capabilities to their flights.[5]
On January 22, 2008, American Airlines completed the first aircraft installation of the Aircell Internet broadband connection at American's Kansas City maintenance base. The airline plans to install and test the broadband technology in 2008 on all 15 of its Boeing 767-200 aircraft.[6] The technology will provide customers an Internet connection, virtual private network (VPN) access and email capabilities.
On February 29, 2008, Aircell unveiled the product name as Gogo Inflight Internet.
On August 5, 2008, Delta Air Lines announced it was installing Aircell's Gogo Inflight system on all of its airplanes over the subsequent year.[7] Delta later decided to filter pornographic content on its flights after customer and employee responses.[8]
On August 20, 2008, Aircell’s Gogo going went live on American Airlines. Aircell’s Gogo will be available to customers as a fee-based service in all cabins. Aircell will charge $12.95 on flights more than three hours, which include American’s Boeing 767-200 flights. Each paid Gogo session includes full Internet access.
On May 12, 2009, AirTran Airways announced it will install Aircell's Gogo Inflight System on all of its airplanes by late July 2009.
On February 24, 2010 Alaska Airlines announced it will install Aircell's Gogo Inflight system on all of its airplanes.
