Jetblue Announces Broadband Deal

[Floatplane]

JetBlue, ViaSat in air cabin broadband deal: report

Sep 22, 7:48 am ET

PARIS (Reuters) – U.S. discount airline JetBlue is set to announce a deal with satellite communications firm ViaSat Inc to put ultra-quick broadband links on its 160 aircraft, Flight International reported on Wednesday.
The potentially ground-breaking deal would fit the airline's Airbus and Embraer planes with Ka-band links which have the ability to transmit high-speed data and handle broadband entertainment, the report said.
If confirmed, the aviation news service said on its website www.flightglobal.com that the installation would be the first of its kind in the fast-growing inflight entertainment industry.
It said the deal would be announced later on Wednesday, but the report did not contain financial details.
Neither company was immediately available for comment.
Dominated by French defense electronics firm Thales and flat TV maker Panasonic Corp of Japan, inflight entertainment is a major component of the value of a modern aircraft after the fuselage, avionics and engines.
The availability of high-speed links has fueled a debate in the airline industry over the cost and popularity of offering high-speed Internet and mobile phone usage to passengers.
Ka-band refers to a type of microwave frequency, allowing airlines to go beyond simple messaging and email toward the multimedia games and movies available at home.
ViaSat, which provides satellite and other wireless networking equipment for civil and military use, said earlier this year it was also looking at options for expanding its work for the Pentagon.
(Reporting by Tim Hepher; Editing by Hans Peters)




http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100922/wr_nm/us_jetblue_broadband

 

[wscrj]

Hope it works. Alaska abandoned Row44 due to reliability issues. When it worked, it was great....just wasn't that often.

Perhaps these folks have done a little more of their homework?

 

[145 Lawndart]

Row44 is a different company using Ku band. ViaSat will be using Ka band which from what I understand is analogous the difference between cellular 2g and 3g.

 

[B6Busdriver]

But still no money for health insurance benefits if on long term disability. Shameful.

 

[Splert]

But still no money for health insurance

But still no money for health insurance benefits if on long term disability. Shameful.

The pilot group's lack of any future pay table step increase is financing another freebee.

Yep we are different.

 

[FNG320]

JetBlue, ViaSat in air cabin broadband deal: report

Sep 22, 7:48 am ET

PARIS (Reuters) – U.S. discount airline JetBlue is set to announce a deal with satellite communications firm ViaSat Inc to put ultra-quick broadband links on its 160 aircraft, Flight International reported on Wednesday.
The potentially ground-breaking deal would fit the airline's Airbus and Embraer planes with Ka-band links which have the ability to transmit high-speed data and handle broadband entertainment, the report said.
If confirmed, the aviation news service said on its website www.flightglobal.com that the installation would be the first of its kind in the fast-growing inflight entertainment industry.
It said the deal would be announced later on Wednesday, but the report did not contain financial details.
Neither company was immediately available for comment.
Dominated by French defense electronics firm Thales and flat TV maker Panasonic Corp of Japan, inflight entertainment is a major component of the value of a modern aircraft after the fuselage, avionics and engines.
The availability of high-speed links has fueled a debate in the airline industry over the cost and popularity of offering high-speed Internet and mobile phone usage to passengers.
Ka-band refers to a type of microwave frequency, allowing airlines to go beyond simple messaging and email toward the multimedia games and movies available at home.
ViaSat, which provides satellite and other wireless networking equipment for civil and military use, said earlier this year it was also looking at options for expanding its work for the Pentagon.
(Reporting by Tim Hepher; Editing by Hans Peters)




http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100922/wr_nm/us_jetblue_broadband

The problem is we anounce this in Fall 2010, but dont' get the first aircraft till 2012+. When other airlines anounced WIFI for aircraft, they put it in service within months, not years!

In addition, we announced limited WIFI/Texting/Email back 3-4 years ago and was "suppose" to be out in a year, but NEVER got any farther than a test aircraft (BetaBlue). It seems we are really good at making early anoucnements and then failing to provide the final product. Which seems to JetBlue standard at all levels of the company. (promise the pilots improved pay, work rules, benefits, LOL/STD/LTD/OJI, retirement, etc, but then fail to deliver on most of it!)

Just my opinion......

FNG

 

[stb]

A few questions about the deal between ViaSat and JetBlue.
1. How many "JetBlue" planes are expected to be using the system? (150 or 600+ planes)
2. In the next few years, can "JetBlue" get released from the contract thru merger, buyout etc?
3. Is American Airlines looking at the same system?

 

[Headfake14]

jeezus...does EVERYTHING have to point back to American or pay/benefits!? It's getting ridiculous. I'm almost tired of hearing it.

There was probably some requirement for us to have to announce this with ViaSat so early. Betablue sucked and was VERY limited. I'm glad we did not go with that system. Gogo is fine for near/short term. But again, limited by overland only. The plan we will be getting will allow connection over water and more bandwidth.

I think it's a good move

 

[stb]

jeezus...does EVERYTHING have to point back to American or pay/benefits!?

Forgot about the Southwest rumors too.
Depends on the answers to the questions.
Those answers could squash the American or Southwest rumors or keep them going.

 

[Splert]

The plan we will be getting will allow connection over water...

Per the Manager of Product Development...No it will not.