Satellite Internet in the Skies is On the Horizon

Southwest Airlines, the airline that carries more passengers than any other United States carrier, has announced that it will soon be equipping its 540 Boeing 737 jets with high-speed internet.  Soon, its passengers with laptop computers, smart phones and other internet will be able to connect while in the air – a technological development that has long been anticipated and awaited by many.

The system will be similar to that of “hotspots” found in cafes, airports and eateries.  Working through a satellite internet connection, the service will allow travelers to browse the internet, check e-mail, play online games and more from the sky.  The cost of the service has not yet been decided, but flyers should anticipate a charge of between $2.00 and $12.00 to connect.

Southwest’s announcement stands to have a big impact on the airline industry and the online world.  Until now, travelers have been essentially out of contact while flying the friendly skies.  No cell phones or internet has meant hours of disconnection from the rest of the world.  Now, however, it seems that the tide will soon be turning.

It is most likely that the wireless internet that will become available on planes will work through satellite internet.  The choice service provider of many individuals already, it is unique in that it works all of the time in any place – even at an altitude of 35,000 feet.  The service Southwest plans to use, called Row44, promises satellite broadband that is both reliable and fast.  Though issues related to latency still have to be worked out (satellite internet is sometimes problematic in inclement weather, especially when precipitation is involved), satellite is definitely the way to go.

So what will this mean for travelers?  A lot of things.  

First, internet on planes will definitely change in-air entertainment.  Whereas we depended upon books, magazines and naps to pass the time before, we will soon be able to access all of the entertainment that the internet has to offer.  This means online games, movies and music.  It also means internet news, social networks and more.

Internet in the air will also have important implications for professionals.  We all know that business travel can be daunting, but soon the time can be taken advantage of to catch up on or stay on top of work.  Things like delayed flights or last-minute projects will become much less problematic once the web hits the sky.

It seems that soon, the disconnected character of air travel will be no more.  With satellite internet to aircraft technology on the horizon, travelers will soon be able to enjoy the internet from an altitude of 40,000 feet.  While there may be a few downfalls to this development (let’s face it, in a world in which we are constantly connected in a million different ways, a few hours of disconnect is a little bit of relief), it will definitely make flying a bit more pleasant.

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Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/communication-articles/satellite-internet-in-the-skies-is-on-the-horizon-1730290.html