As any traditional Internet service provider will attest, flexibility is key in the competitive marketplace, and that movement has hit the relatively new field of airborne broadband for business aircraft. At the Aircraft Electronics Association convention in Orlando, Aircell announced that it will introduce a pay-as-you-go program for its Internet system. Existing programs only offer flat-rate monthly billing, which doesn’t work for many customers. “Customers with low or sporadic utilization patterns will find great value in getting full access to the Aircell Network in a pay-as-you-go format,” said Aircell General Manager John Wade. “Adding a ‘per megabyte’ option to our existing unlimited plans is like adding an a la carte menu to an all-you-can-eat buffet.”
In the continental U.S., Aircell uses a ground-based system of receivers and transmitters to provide the broadband connection. Overseas, it uses a satellite-based system. Aircell says its onboard equipment is small and lightweight and provides true high-speed connections.
