Solutions: Internet Access Over Airline

Boeing bravely made an early entrance into the industry, offering full internet access via their “Connexion by Boeing” (CBB) service. This service remains the only one to offer full wireless connectivity to laptops, with recorded speeds of up to 4Mbit downstream/1MBit upstream. In addition, to web services, VPN connections are also supported, as well as other non-port 80 traffic. There are currently more than 180 flights daily that provide this service. Uptake with airlines, however, was not overwhelming – perhaps due to the $500,000 cost of fitting each airplane – and the 17th of August 2006 saw Boeing announce that it would be discontinuing the service.

Its inclusion in this guide, however, is still essential. Why? Because the service will be free on those airlines that provided it to their passengers until the end of 2006, and thereafter it seems more than likely that these companies will amongst the first to adopt and work with whatever technologies arise as replacements. Panasonic, for example, were recently reported to be interested in the business. As Lufthansa, the first airline to feature CBB under their "FlyNet" brand puts it in their press release:

Up to now, Connexion by Boeing has been the only supplier for broadband Internet use aboard aircraft. Due to the new situation, the market is currently restructuring itself. In the interest of its passengers, Lufthansa hopes to be able to continue to offer FlyNet® in future and, therefore, is conducting intensive discussions with Boeing as well as several other potential providers.

Find below, therefore, a list of the current providers for CBB connections. At the start of 2006, the prices were set at $9.95 for 1 hour, $14.95 for 2 hours, $17.95 for 3 hours and $26.95 for 24 hours, including connecting flights. From 3rd of October until the termination of the service on the 31st of December, however, CBB will be free. Credit Card numbers will still be taken for authentication purposes, but not charged. Please note also, that all of these services may be subject to last-minute changes in aircraft, as well as technical difficulties/planned downtime with CBB.