Aircell products and services are regulary covered by the aviation and popular press. Read the latest news stories from leading magazines and other publications.

Listen to the full story.

(From Bloomberg Radio January 14, 2008)

Read full story.

(From www.crunchgear.com January 22, 2008)

Read full story.

(From www.runwaygirl.blogspot.com; January 22, 2008)

Read full story.

(From Dow Jones MarketWatch; January 22, 2008)

Read full story.

(From Business Travel News; January 22, 2008)

MSNBC.com
January 9, 2008

Read full story.

(From MSNBC.com; January 9, 2008)

USA Today
December 18, 2007

Read full story.

(From USAToday; December 18, 2007)

Airline passengers may soon check e-mails in air.

JetBlue is poised to become the first U.S. airline to test in-flight Internet service. They're testing one plane that allows access to Yahoo e-mail and instant messaging, plus some BlackBerry access.

Listen to full story. 

(From NPR.org; December 10, 2007 )

Passengers may soon hear a new in-flight announcement: "You can now log on." Starting next week and over the next few months, several United States airlines will test Internet service on planes. 

Read full story.

(From NYTimes.com; December 7, 2007 )

In a matter of months, passengers on American Airlines and Virgin America should be able to surf the Internet from the sky, thanks to new technology from an Itasca company.

Read full story.

(From Fortune Small Business c/o CNNMoney.com; December 2007 )

In a matter of months, passengers on American Airlines and Virgin America should be able to surf the Internet from the sky, thanks to new technology from an Itasca company.

Read full story.

(From ChicagoTribune.com; October 22, 2007 )

Board the plane, turn off your phone ... and surf the web

That's right, wireless Internet service that will allow passengers to send messages, surf the Web, and, yes, check in with the boss at 30,000 feet.

Read full story.

(From CSMonitor.com; October 9, 2007 )

AINOnline.com
September 25, 2007

Aircell Axxess now standard on Gulfstreams

In a boost for Louisville, Colo.-based Aircell, Gulfstream has selected the Aircell Axxess cabin communications system as standard equipment aboard its line of large-cabin business jets spanning the G300 through G550.

Read full story.

(From AINOnline; September 25, 2007)

Business & Commercial Aviation
September 2007

The Satcom Services Race

Inflight connectivity just keeps getting better and less expensive.

Read full story.

(From Business & Commercial Aviation; September 2007)

AINOnline.com
September 26, 2007

Aircell Broadband Services Nearing Launch

At NBAA 2007, Aircell is offering details about its own broadband system, which will operate domestically over the exclusive, dedicated frequencies the FCC awarded to Aircell last year, as well as the Inmarsat SwiftBroadband service offering global in-flight voice and data at up to 432 kbps per channel. Both are to become available in the latter part of next year.

Read full story.  

(From NBAA Convention News; September 26, 2007)

AINTv.com
September 2007

Aircell Axxess Selected by Gulfstream

Gulfstream selected the Aircell Axxess cabin communications system as standard factory equipment on all their large-cabin jets.

Watch video.

(From AINTv, September 2007)

USAToday.com
September 14, 2007

Virgin America Adding Web Access Across Entire Fleet

Virgin America will introduce wireless Internet access across its entire fleet starting next year. The carrier said it has reached a deal with Aircell to provide the service starting "sometime next year."

Read full story.

(From September 14, 2007 USAToday.com.)

Local Company Bringing WiFi to Flight

You soon may be able to use your laptop on commercial flights, thanks to an Itasca company. Michelle Gielan explains.

Watch video.

(From August 19, 2007 MyFoxChicago.com.)

Will Wi-Fi in the sky fly?

Coffee, tea or Wi-Fi?

Itasca-based Aircell, the air-to-ground communications services company, by the end of the year will take wing with its broadband Internet service via Wi-Fi devices on board American Airlines. The service will use cellular phone towers on the ground to carry the Internet signals.

Fran Phillips, Aircell senior vice president of airline solutions, said American will test a prototype initially on one transcontinental flight from New York to the West Coast in January. An American spokeswoman said the technology will be be deployed for testing to 14 other aircraft flying between JFK in New York and Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Read full story.

(From August 9, 2007 Chicago Sun Times.)

Fliers’ Net-surfing days inch closer

For most of this decade, airlines have held out the prospect of making in-flight Internet connections routinely available.

But the 9/11 terrorism stilled the industry's first big push. And last year, slow sales to airlines caused aerospace giant Boeing (BA) to end its involvement with a broadband service that had been offered on a handful of foreign carriers.

Now, in another significant push toward onboard Internet service, a half-dozen technology companies are jockeying to offer in-flight broadband to scores of airlines that have asked for bids.

Read full story.

(From August 8, 2007 USAToday.com.)

AA prepares for on-board Internet

NEW YORK (Reuters) -- AMR Corp's American Airlines is preparing to be one of the first U.S. carriers to offer Internet access on domestic flights.

American Airlines will offer on-board Internet access in 2008.

Aircell, a provider of aviation communications systems, said Wednesday that it will team up with American to test its new system for providing on-board Internet access -- Aircell's first partner on the project.

"We understand that broadband connectivity is important to our business customers," Dan Garton, American Airlines' executive vice president of marketing, said in the statement.

Beginning in 2008, American will test the service on its 767-200 aircraft, which chiefly fly transcontinental routes, Aircell said.

Read full story.

(From August 3, 2007 CNN.com Technology.)

Coming Sometime Soon: WiFi to American Airlines

American Airlines has just signed a deal with Aircell, to offer in-air broadband access. The tests will begin in 2008, initially on transcontinental flights, but if all goes well, then WiFi could be offered in domestic flights.

I wonder if other airlines are paying attention. WiFi availability is a crucial decision in what cafe I patronize, and similarly I am careful in picking hotels while traveling. In the future, WiFi might become a deciding factor when it comes to picking airlines. American Airlines is not my favorite airline but their WiFi offer would make me consider them before United Airlines, despite all the frequent flyer miles I have with UA.

Read full story.

(From August 2, 2007 GiagOM.com.)

MSNBC.com
July 13, 2007

Staying plugged-in at 30,000 feet

Business travelers are some of the best-connected people on the planet. Thanks to BlackBerrys and international cell phones, they can transcend time zones, continents and language barriers.

But airplanes, the most heavily utilized mode of travel for the business set, force them to, well, disconnect.

Use of cell phones has long been forbidden during flights for fear of interference with ground control, and in-flight Internet access is a work in progress. Boeing took a shot at in-flight broadband with Connexion service, but its satellite communication involved a heavy antenna and a $1 million price tag. The aerospace company scrapped the service in 2006.

Read full story.

(From July 13, 2007 MSNBC.com Business Travel.)

Freakonomics.com
April 04, 2007

Hallelujah: U.S. Airlines to Offer Wi-Fi

As reported by Scott McCartney in today’s Wall Street Journal, U.S. airlines will begin offering wireless Internet access within a year. VOIP calls will be prohibited for now; but airborne phone use may well become a reality one day. Here are the salient details:

Aircell will install equipment on airliners that will act as a WiFi hotspot in the cabin and connect to laptop computers and devices like BlackBerrys that have WiFi chips. In all, it will cost about $100,000 to outfit a plane with less than 100 pounds of equipment, and the work can be done overnight by airline maintenance workers, Aircell says.

Read full story.

(From April 04, 2007 Freakonomics.com.)

Wall Street Journal
April, 2007

Wi-Fi in the Sky: Airlines Prepare for Cabin Hostpots

"After years of discussion and delay, U.S. airlines will start offering in-flight Internet connections, instant messaging and wireless e-mail within 12 months, turning the cabin into a Wi-Fi "hotspot." ...

"Aircell will install equipment that will act as a Wi-Fi hotspot in the cabin and connect to laptop computers and other devices like Blackberries that have Wi-Fi chips. In all, it will cost less than $100,000 to outfit a plane with less than 100 pounds of equipment, and the work can be done overnight by airline maintenance workers, Aircell says.

"What makes the service particularly attractive to airlines is that they will share revenue with Aircell. The service will cost about the same as existing Wi-Fi offerings. ... It will also offer discounted options for customers and tie into existing service programs like T-Mobile, iPass and Boingo. Speeds will be equivalent to Wi-Fi service on the ground."

Read full story.

(From the April 3, 2007 issue of Wall Street Journal. Excerpt from the news story, "Wi-Fi in the Sky: Airlines Prepare for Cabin Hostpots.")

NBAA Convention News
October, 2006

Aircell Axxess is Certified for Wireless

"Aircell Axxess™ was certified in April and hardware already exists in systems in service that will allow a software field upgrade that will activate the wireless function mode. ...

"With the wireless function enabled, Aircell Axxess provides an 802.11bg wireless hotspot aboard the airplane. When a broadband connection (such as Inmarsat or Aircell broadband) is installed, passengers can use the Aircell Axxess in-cabin wireless connection to seamlessly operate laptops and other 802.11bg Wi-Fi devices to surf the Internet, use e-mail and log on to their corporate virtual private network.

"Aircell's new Wi-Fi handsets, already certified, are to be available next spring and are designed to interface with Aircell Axxess wireless capabilities with no additional adaptation."

Read full story.

(From the October 18, 2006 issue of NBAA Convention News. Excerpt from the news story, "Aircell Axxess is Certified for Wireless.")

Inflight-Online
October, 2006

Aircell Axxess for Dassault Fleet

"Dassault Falcon Jet has selected Aircell Axxess satellite communications from Aircell as a standard option for its complete range of aircraft. ...

"Aircell Axxess features include full PBX capability and 802.11b/g WiFi wireless networking. In the future the latter will allow passenger wireless laptops, Blackberries and other devices to access email, the Internet and corporate VPNs via air-to-ground broadband links.

"Aircell Axxess' integrated expansion ports currently allow operators to add two more Iridium channels, and the system is being developed to accommodate Inmarsat's Swift 64 64kbit/sec and 432kbit/sec SwiftBroadband offerings, and Aircell's own forthcoming North American broadband service."

(From the October 18, 2006 issue of Inflight-Online. Excerpt from the news story, "Aircell Satcoms for Dassault Fleet.")

NBAA Convention News
October, 2006

ST 3100 Picked for Hawker 4000

"Raytheon has selected Aircell's ST 3100 Satcom system as standard equipment on the Hawker 4000 super-midsize business jet.

"Already standard or optional on nearly two dozen aircraft worldwide, the ST 3100 operates in the Iridium satellite system, providing pilots and passengers with all-altitude and all-latitude coverage worldwide. ...

"New handsets will be included ... Among the handset key features are full-color display with intuitive graphics menus, noise reduction, integrated headset/earbud jack, internal phonebook for number storage and speed dialing and a number of user-customized settings."

(From the October 18, 2006 issue of NBAA Convention News. Excerpt from the news story, "Aircell ST 3100 Satcom Picked for Hawker 4000.")

NBAA Convention News
October, 2006

Dreams of a Broadband Revolution

"In the months since Aircell won an FCC frequency-spectrum auction to provide wireless broadband connectivity to airplanes flying high above the continental U.S., the Louisville, Colo. company has been off and running. ...

"Aircell promises data rates as high as 3.5 megabits per second, roughly equivalent to a cable modem connection on the ground. The charge for access is expected to be roughly what users in hotels pay ...

"U.S. airlines are likely at least to take a close look at what the company is offering. Business jet buyers and operators, meanwhile, are sure to jump at the chance to install Aircell Axxess gear to satiate data-addicted customers.

"Think flying hotspot. Think full access to e-mail, the Internet and corporate VPNs. ... It's Wi-Fi based and, in fact, the airplane will be a flying hostpot."

(From the October 17, 2006 issue of NBAA Convention News. Excerpt from the news story, "Aircell Dreams of a Broadband Revolution.")

Inflight-Online
October, 2006

Gulfstream Selects Aircell Axxess EZ

"Gulfstream had selected its Aircell Axxess EZ™ Satcoms system as the preferred replacement for Verizon Airfone's terrestrially based air-to-ground communications service for GA and business aviation, which is to be withdrawn in the next 12 months.

"Gulfstream has ordered an initial batch of Aircell Axxess EZ, which reuses the existing MagnaStar wiring and component locations in the aircraft to reduce installation downtime. It also gives operators the option of retaining useful legacy features such as call alerting and integrated fax capability. The system will also be compatible with Aircell's new broadband data service, due for introduction in North America in 2008. ...

"The standard Axxess EZ supports two Iridium satellite channels for voice and narrowband data. Other features include full PBX functionality, new handsets with largeformat colour displays, advanced noise-reduction technology and standard earbud/headset jacks. Options include full IEEE 802.11b/g Wi-Fi communications for laptops, PDAs and other wireless devices in the cabin. Aircell has just received FAA certification for the capability."

(From the October 17, 2006 issue of Inflight-Online. Excerpt from the news story, "Aircell Air-to-Ground for Gulfstream.")

Air Transport Intelligence News
June, 2006

Aircell's Broadband Service Dawns

"A long-time supplier of airborne telecommunication systems to the business and general aviation communities, Aircell has for years been one of the most active firms promoting affordable air-to-ground-linked wireless broadband services on commercial airlines and business aviation aircraft. Aircell president and CEO Jack Blumenstein believes Aircell 'can take credit and feel justifiably proud about being real visionaries' for helping to shape the thinking of the industry. ...

"The Aircell network will initially cover the continental US but is expandable to the rest of North America, including Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean, where the company has already opened dialog. ...

"Aircell's system will also support the use of cellular telephones onboard aircraft. However, further regulatory approvals are required before this can be offered. The FCC in 2004 issued a notice of proposed rulemaking that will effectively allow the use of cell phones and wireless communications devices on aircraft equipped with new types of technology, including 'pico cell' networks and Wi-Fi networks."

(From the June 22, 2006 issue of Air Transport Intelligence News. Excerpt from the news story, "New Day Dawns for Aircell's Broadband Service.")

Wall Street Journal
June, 2006

Aircell Wins Spectrum Auction

"The Federal Communications Commission declared the winners on Friday, more than three weeks after it opened the auction. AC BidCo, which teamed up with Aircell Inc., agreed to pay $31.3 million for three megahertz of spectrum. That is enough capacity to offer in-flight Internet services. ...

"Aircell makes equipment that provides voice and data service for aircraft passengers and crews through satellites. The equipment has been installed by the three largest fleets of time-share corporate jets, according to Aircell's Web site. ...

"In-flight Internet service is available on commercial flights in Europe, but isn't offered in domestic markets. Companies participating in the auction have estimated that in-flight Internet service could be available in the U.S. starting in 2007, allowing airline passengers to use laptop computers, BlackBerry devices, and possibly to make phone calls if regulators approve."

(From the June 2, 2006 issue of Wall Street Journal. Excerpt from the news story, "JetBlue, Aircell Win FCC Spectrum Auction.")