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Virgin America and Aircell Partner to Launch Inflight Broadband Connectivity
Service Over U.S.
Virgin America® Plans First Full Fleet Deployment of Aircell’s Broadband Service
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ITASCA, IL – Sept. 13, 2007 – Today, Aircell®, the leading
wireless data and voice communications provider in business and commercial
aviation, announced it is partnering with Virgin America to offer broadband
Internet services for passengers traveling in the continental U.S. sometime
in 2008. Aircell’s new service will allow Virgin America guests to
check e-mail, surf the Web, tap into an office network and stay current
on the latest news, using either Virgin America’s Red™ inflight
entertainment system or their own Wi-Fi enabled laptops, Smartphones, PDAs,
BlackBerrys® and portable gaming systems - while in flight.
As part
of the partnership, Aircell and Virgin America will integrate Aircell’s
broadband service into Virgin America’s groundbreaking inflight entertainment
system, Red™. In a first-of-its-kind deployment, Virgin America will
launch the service across its entire fleet of aircraft.
This high-speed broadband Internet service is made possible by Aircell’s
unique air-to-ground cellular network, which transmits and receives data
between the ground and the aircraft at broadband speeds.
Upon launch, Virgin America guests will have:
- U.S. broadband coverage,
extending from the Atlantic to the Pacific and the Canadian to
the Mexican borders
- Connectivity on 802.11 Wi-Fi enabled devices
- Real-time access to the
Internet (using the passenger’s own browser,
bookmarks, etc.)
- An array of context and destination-related
content
“Aircell’s broadband service is the obvious choice
to add to our guest experience,” said Charles Ogilvie, Virgin
America’s
Director of Inflight Entertainment & Partnerships. “Our goal
with broadband is simple: let guests decide how and when they
want to communicate and interact by providing relevant options.
In Aircell we have a partner who knows and understands innovation.”
“The
Virgin way of doing things is world renowned for good reason,” said
Jack Blumenstein, Aircell CEO. “Virgin brings radical, positive
change to every industry in which it operates. The Aircell relationship
is no different and we are proud to partner with Virgin America
in one of the most significant transformative experiences in
the airline industry.”
The cost of the service on Virgin America
will be announced at the time of service roll-out. For information
about Aircell and its broadband Internet service visit www.aircell.com.
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| About Aircell |
Aircell is the leader in global airborne telecommunications for the Commercial
and Business Aviation markets. The winner of the FCC’s exclusive broadband
frequency license in 2006, Aircell is pioneering a revolutionary
new wireless broadband system for North America.
Aircell broadband system
will include robust Wi-Fi hotspots that enable airline passengers
to surf the Internet, use e-mail, and log on to their corporate
VPN’s using
their personal Wi-Fi equipped devices. The system will also offer
airline operational communications capabilities and provide a path to a
wealth of future cabin services.
Set for introduction in 2008, the new broadband
service will also be available to business aircraft operators,
offering a similar set of features.
Aircell (www.Aircell.com) has
facilities in Louisville, Colorado, and Itasca, Illinois, USA.
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