In-Flight Wi-Fi Services Compared

For the mobile business traveler, there are few places where you’re reasonably free from connectivity. Underground, out in the boondocks, and on airplanes. Recently, in-flight Wi-Fi providers have worked to chip away at one of the last Internet-free zones, which is either exciting or groan-worthy, depending on your point of view. Airplane Wi-Fi isn’t ubiquitous yet, but it’s not rare anymore, either. dvice.com has a helpful table comparing the three service providers with price lists, restrictions, and participating airlines. One of the more intriguing bits of information here is that none of these providers will allow for voice over IP. No Skype calls for delayed travelers yet. Josh Smith at Notebooks.com — who is far more excited by in-flight Wi-Fi than I am — raises a good point when he states that  “the only question this informative chart doesn’t answer is why it costs the same to connect at 30,000 feet as it does on the Third floor of every conference hotel known to man.” Row 44′s Wi-Fi prices are set by the airlines, but I can’t imagine them being much different than that of go-go: $9.95 for flights up to 3 hours, $12.95 for 3+ hours, and $7.95 for handheld devices. Only JetBlue is offering free Wi-Fi, and right now on just one plane. Once the service is out of “Beta” phase, can we expect similar rates? Though I’m one of the people who groan at the thought of airplane Wi-Fi, it obviously has draws for business travelers and connection junkies. However, once the service providers work something out that allows for in-flight calling, look for a sharp upswing in noise-canceling headphones. If the crying babies or engine droning didn’t drive you to them before, the obnoxious business and personal calls may be the final straw. Hat Tip: Notebooks.com Image Credit: dvice.com