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FCC votes in favor of in-flight broadband

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On December 18, 2004, 4:59 AM

Thanks to a more flexible resolution for licensing the air-to-ground frequencies taken by the FCC earlier this week, there is more of a chance we will begin to see high-speed web access on flights in the next year or two.

Some foreign airlines already have begun offering high-speed Internet access. Carriers including Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines System and Japan Airlines have begun offering high-speed Internet access through Connexion by Boeing, a division of the aircraft maker. Prices for the satellite-based service range from $8 for half an hour on short trips to $30 for an entire long flight.

But under existing regulations that have limited competition and technology for delivering high-speed Internet, it costs airlines $500,000 to equip each plane for the service -- too high for many.

Although this announcement mostly affects the US market, this also means that airplanes equipped to offer high-speed net access are set to become more popular which will finally take prices down as the service becomes more of a mainstream choice.

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  1. December 18, 2004 10:53 AM
    Per Hansson said:
    Warflying article one and two:[url]http://www.pbs.org/cringely/pulpit/pulpit20040715.h
    ml[/url][url]http://www.pbs.org/cringely/pulpit/pulpit2004
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