We pushed the in-flight WiFi of the future to its limit

It shouldn't have worked, but I streamed an episode of Last Week Tonight, a Twitch broadcast of Fallout 4, the premiere episode of Aziz Ansari's Master of None and Meow the Jewels all at once, all on airplane WiFi. In-flight WiFi giant Gogo demoed...

Engadget Giveaway: win one of two ChromeBook Pixels, courtesy of Gogo!

Engadget Giveaway win one of two ChromeBook Pixels, courtesy of Gogo Inflight!

The ChromeBook Pixel is a stunningly beautiful piece of machinery. With costs ranging from $1,300 to $1,500, however, it means you're shelling out even more than most standard ultrabooks and laptops. It also comes with 12 free Gogo passes and a full terabyte of Google Drive storage to sweeten the deal, fortunately, but who wants to buy a computer of any kind when you can win one instead? Gogo's hooking two lucky readers up with a 64GB LTE Chromebook Pixel (this particular model is valued at $1,500), so this is one giveaway you'll definitely want to sign up for. You can grab up to three entries: you get two just for showing up, and the third is yours if you Like Gogo on Facebook. Head to the widget below and take a chance!

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FCC proposes boosted in-flight WiFi speed with 14GHz spectrum by 2020

The FCC released a report yesterday detailing plans to free up 500 megahertz of spectrum, in an effort to supercharge our nation's ground-to-air mobile broadband infrastructure. The proposed spectrum would fall within the 14.0-14.5 GHz band, which is currently utilized for satellite uplinks. The FCC references an earlier Qualcomm proposal, which suggests data speeds of 300 gigabits per second with refreshed equipment operating over the new spectrum. With that bandwidth, all of the 15,000 WiFi-equipped aircraft that are estimated to be operating by 2021 would be able to offer significantly improved performance for passengers, and at a much lower cost.

Based on verbiage in the report, the FCC's proposed date of 2020 sounds ambitious -- even with the agency completing "a great deal of ongoing work," it could be a decade before we can take advantage of gigabit connections from 37,000 feet in the air. Gogo's next-gen system and ViaSat's promised satellite rollout should be hitting planes before 2013 is through, however, delivering notable improvements of their own.

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Via: Phone Arena

Source: FCC

BlackBerry Z10 users can Gogo to Delta for free in-flight WiFi

BlackBerry Z10 users can Gogo to Delta for free inflight WiFi

Dangling WiFi-carrot meet your BlackBerry-made stick: the Z10. Perhaps because its user base has traditionally courted strong enterprise support -- a lot that typically overlaps with the jet set -- BlackBerry's offering an incentive to adopters of its BB 10 pearl, granting gratis Gogo-powered internet access for all domestic Delta flights. The best part? Latching onto that free WiFi is as simple as logging in and firing up the browser on your Z10 when it's "safe to use your electronic devices." Will this tip your hand and get you to switch to BB 10? Probably not, but it's the sort of pot sweetening that should keep BlackBerry's (moneyed) customers around for the long-haul.

[Thanks, Jared]

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Source: BlackBerry

American Airlines brings Gogo’s Ku-band, ATG-4 internet to latest A320 and 737 aircraft

If you wind up cruising in one of American Airlines latest airliners, you'll likely be pleased with the WiFi that's also onboard. Gogo recently announced that its Ku-band satellite and peppy ATG-4 internet connectivity will be available on AA's latest Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 deliveries. The mixture ensures you'll be able to get online whether you're over the seas or the connected ground below. You'll find more info in the press release after the break, and expect it all to be available before the earlier part of this year flies by.

Continue reading American Airlines brings Gogo's Ku-band, ATG-4 internet to latest A320 and 737 aircraft

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American Airlines brings Gogo’s Ku-band, ATG-4 internet to latest A320 and 737 aircraft

If you wind up cruising in one of American Airlines latest airliners, you'll likely be pleased with the WiFi that's also onboard. Gogo recently announced that its Ku-band satellite and peppy ATG-4 internet connectivity will be available on AA's latest Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 deliveries. The mixture ensures you'll be able to get online whether you're over the seas or the connected ground below. You'll find more info in the press release after the break, and expect it all to be available before the earlier part of this year flies by.

Continue reading American Airlines brings Gogo's Ku-band, ATG-4 internet to latest A320 and 737 aircraft

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FCC streamlines rules for aircraft broadband, promotes widespread in-flight WiFi

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The Federal Communications Commission adopted a Report and Order today that updated regulatory requirements needed to provide broadband services on aircraft. In short, the commission has designated Earth Stations Aboard Aircraft -- the broadband modules placed on the exterior of aircraft -- as a licensed application and established a set regulatory process for future providers. What this means is that airlines will be able to select FCC-approved systems, verify that systems don't interfere with aircraft instruments, and obtain FAA approval in about half the time it takes now. The new FCC guidelines should make it easier for smaller airlines to install WiFi on their jets, allowing them to catch up to legacy carriers with nearly fleetwide internet access. This news might also be a mixed blessing for frequent flyers, some of whom see flying as the last bastion of peace in an otherwise connected world.

Continue reading FCC streamlines rules for aircraft broadband, promotes widespread in-flight WiFi

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Source: Federal Communications Commission

Engadget tours Gogo’s flying test plane, tries its improved ATG-4 in-flight WiFi (hands-on)

Engadget tours Gogo's flying test plane, tries its improved ATG-4 in-flight WiFi (hands-on)

Gogo's test plane isn't your typical jet: it seats just nine passengers, and there's no bathroom; just a closet in the back stacked with networking gear. The company, easily the biggest name in in-flight WiFi, uses the aircraft as a flying lab, where it can test everything from throughput speeds to the log-in experience. It's a small plane that flies out of a small airfield, Aurora Municipal Airport in Illinois, and it's normally just Gogo staffers onboard. Today, the company invited a few reporters aboard to test its newest air-to-ground WiFi service, ATG-4. As you can imagine, newer means faster: ATG-4 is rated for max download speeds of 9.8 Mbps, up from 3.1 Mbps with the last-gen service. It also helps that video streaming services like Netflix, Hulu and HBO Go are now blocked, which should ensure that no one person abuses his WiFi privileges.

As it happens, ATG-4 is already live on approximately 40 planes run by US Airways, Delta and Virgin America. (United has said it plans to introduce the service on select flights in the first half of 2013.) In theory, then, the best way to test ATG-4's performance might be to slip unnoticed onto a commercial flight, and see what it's like to share bandwidth with 20 other people. What's neat about the Gogo test plane, though, is that it can toggle back and forth between ATG and ATG-4, making it easier to compare performance between the two. What's more, though the test plane seats nine, Gogo is able to simulate a crowded flight, with 20 to 30 passengers attempting to use the internet at once. After 90 minutes of flying over Illinois and Missouri, we've got some first-hand impressions and also some pics, if aviation porn is your cup of tea. Read on for more.

Continue reading Engadget tours Gogo's flying test plane, tries its improved ATG-4 in-flight WiFi (hands-on)

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Engadget tours Gogo's flying test plane, tries its improved ATG-4 in-flight WiFi (hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Nov 2012 16:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gogo launches next-gen in-flight internet, with better speeds and more capacity

Gogo launches nextgen inflight internet, with better speeds and more capacity

Gogo is pretty much the standard for in-flight internet. But, as much as it's saved our workaholic butts on a number of occasions, we've always said there's room for improvement. Speeds are often on the low side and connectivity can be unreliable on a plane packed with fellow web addicts. (For example, say a flight to Vegas for CES.) ATG-4 is the company's next generation of in-air service that should drastically increase capacity and improve speeds. The connection will have a theoretical peak bandwidth of 9.8Mbps, more than three times the current network and uses EVDO rev.B as part of its backbone. ATG-4 is being rolled out on 25 craft to begin with, including planes operated by Virgin, Delta and US Airways. There's a few more details in the PR after the break and we'll be back soon with a hands on to let you know if Gogo's new network lives up to the hype.

Continue reading Gogo launches next-gen in-flight internet, with better speeds and more capacity

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Gogo launches next-gen in-flight internet, with better speeds and more capacity originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Nov 2012 16:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gogo gets the green light to provide in-flight WiFi over Canada

Gogo gets the green light to provide in-flight WiFi in Canada

Folks over in the US of A have been utilizing Gogo's up-in-the-air wireless amenities for quite some time now, which isn't something we can say about our dear neighbors from The Great White North -- unless, of course, you count the company's current Aircell's Gogo Biz service. That said, Gogo's finally received the go-ahead to bring its in-flight WiFi goods to both commercial and business planes that are traveling within Canada and cross-border to the States, allowing the internet provider to deliver "seamless service" all-around. According to Gogo, the network will be fully operational by the end of next year, with the company assuring fellow Canadians that they, too, can "soon experience the same technology that has a proven track record of performance and reliability in the U.S." Hit the PR below to delve into the formal nitty-gritty.

Continue reading Gogo gets the green light to provide in-flight WiFi over Canada

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Gogo gets the green light to provide in-flight WiFi over Canada originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Aug 2012 15:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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