Finally tired of being trounced by its competitors in the on-board internet arena, United Airlines has outfitted its first international widebody plane with satellite-based Wi-Fi. The service should be rolled out to 300 additional aircrafts by the end of the year. United’s first foray into the new Wi-Fi capability is being granted to a trans-Atlantic and -Pacific Boeing 747, outfitted with Panasonic Avionics Corp.’s Ku-band satellite technology. Passengers can pick between two internet speeds: a standard speed at somewhere between $4 and $15 or an accelerated speed ranging between $6 and $20. Great news for anyone flying United, surely—just be careful when use it.
About Shelly Palmer
Shelly Palmer is the Professor of Advanced Media in Residence at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and CEO of The Palmer Group, a consulting practice that helps Fortune 500 companies with AI strategy, implementation and governance, as well as technology, media and marketing. Named one of LinkedIn’s Top Voices in Technology, he is a bestselling author, covers tech and business for Fox 5’s Good Day New York, is a regular commentator on CNN, and writes the popular daily business blog Think About This. Follow @shellypalmer or visit shellypalmer.com.