JetBlue taps Yahoo, RIM for in-flight Wi-Fi test

By Ed Oswald | Published December 7, 2007, 9:00 AM

The low-cost business-centric airline plans to outfit its planes with Wi-Fi so that passengers can access portions of the net while in the air.

While the full Internet would not be available, customers will be able to access their Yahoo e-mail accounts and Yahoo Messenger. Those with Wi-Fi capable Blackberries can access personal and corporate e-mail.

JetBlue says that it cannot offer passengers full Internet due to bandwidth constraints. Even the Yahoo content it provides will need to be scaled down due to that fact, it admitted.

The spectrum needed to distribute the service in-flight will come from JetBlue's own LiveTV subsidiary, which acquired the frequencies from the FCC last year for $7 million. Since it uses Wi-Fi and not cellular technology, airlines will be able to use it in the air, since it has been approved for use by the FAA.

Only one plane has so far been outfitted with the technology, nicknamed "BetaBlue." (Nice name.) While the first flight is scheduled for next Tuesday from New York to San Francisco, the plane will likely be rotated throughout the air carrier's existing routes.

During takeoff and landing passengers will need to turn their electronics devices off as usual, and as the steward will likely remind everyone. At the very least, users accessing services through their BlackBerry will need to switch their cellular reception off.

JetBlue is not the only airliner considering in-flight Internet: American Airlines is in the process of getting ready to test a similar service, and Virgin America plans to roll out its program next year.

Comments

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I wonder if there is going to be a YouTube video of the RIM job that is a mid-east radical using an IP addressable bomb so he can blow up the plane in the name of Muhammed without actually having to be on the plane. That's not to mention that same idiots ability to hack into the planes flight controls to "remotely" fly the plane into something.

I'm glad I don't fly.

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Jetblue is great. Lots of legroom, free TV, and now this. Good work.

All we need to do now is fix the moronic airport security shoe removing bullcrap, and the associated nazi cattle prodding annoying entry into the gate area. I'm sick of it. If I have to take my shoes off forever because of one retarded, subhuman's efforts to blow up a plane, wifi isn't ever going to make it any better.

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Would you want to fly on an airplane dubbed BetaBlue?

"Ladies and gentlemen, please board our TEST PLANE now. Thank you."

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I for sure wouldn't board it until it is at least RC2 :P

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Unless they offer me the final release for free at the end of the program. :P

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And dont forget that there might be some rollback..just in case things dont work out..

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