Alaska Airlines Starts Trials Of In-flight Wi-Fi
Alaska Airlines said Friday that it is planning to launch a customer trial of its Alaska Airlines In-flight Wi-Fi on certain of its Boeing 737-700 aircraft.
The Seattle-based airline is partnering with Row 44, a Westlake Village, Calif.-based startup developer of broadband connectivity solutions for commercial aircraft.
Row 44's solution allows full Wi-Fi internet access, VoIP services, cell phone roaming, and live television using IPTV, all with a data link that averages better than 30 Mbits per second, according to Row 44. The technology also allows a second receive-only channel dedicated to IPTV.
Alaska Airlines' trial service, which will provide the in-flight broadband service free-of-charge, is expected to run for about 60 days, the airline said. Once the trial period is complete, the company will determine its schedule for making the service available to its entire fleet of aircraft.
Row 44 is not the only provider of in-flight broadband.
The Gogo service by Aircell, Itasca, Ill., is currently available on certain flights from American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and Virgin America, and is expected to be available on Air Canada and United Airlines in the near future. American Airlines charges $12.95 to use the service.