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Travelers are increasingly expected to take advantage of in-flight Wi-Fi connectivity in the coming years as more airlines begin offering the service. In fact, a new report from market research firm In-Stat News found that in-flight Wi-Fi revenue is expected to grow from about $225 million in 2011 to over $1.5 billion in 2015.
"While airlines initially viewed in-flight broadband as a competitive differentiator, it is now simply viewed in the U.S. market as a competitive requirement," said Amy Cravens, In-Stat senior analyst. “The future of in-flight Wi-Fi will be less about convincing airlines of the merit and more about leveraging the network to provide a broader breadth of services."
The report also found that smartphones and tablets are the devices predominantly used on flights to connect to the Internet.
Similar to the hot spot market, Wi-Fi access is likely to become a commodity in the in-flight market, with the revenue opportunity resting on the services and features, not the connection, Cravens added.
The report also noted that in-flight connectivity is becoming more popular in international markets. In-Stat believes it will rapidly transition to a competitive requirement in these markets as it did in the United States.
Virgin America recently announced that it will be expanding its in-flight Internet to its seat-back displays so users can get online using the built-in entertainment system. Meanwhile, Delta said earlier this month that it will be the first airline to expand its Wi-Fi service to regional jets.
Reach TechNewsDaily senior writer Samantha Murphy at smurphy@techmedianetwork.com. Follow her on Twitter @SamMurphy_TMN.
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Republicans blame "Government" for the lack business movement! Just another example of IDIOT overpaid American CEOs! In 1992 I was told to turn off my cassette player because of no electronic devices allowed during flight. In 97 I thought the Internet should be accessible on planes. It was about that time I saw, Cathay Pacific, with LCD screens in the seats. 95-96 my friends in Asia all had cell phones and when I'd go back to USA no one heard of them. In 99, most of my European and Asia friends had cell phone providers on all satellite so that they had service most anywhere in the world. 78 in Hawaii, Japanese tourists didn't pull out 35mm or Instimatic film cameras. They pulled out digital cameras. Each 1/2 year the camera shrunk until they got to the size of a credit card in 85. All when most Americans never even heard of the above.
Politicians and Conservative radio/tv mouthing off for decades how America is the greatest... is only going to lead to a gigantic fall of America! Like no jobs, 3rd world medical care, 3rd world infant death rate, 3dr world literacy rate, Texas style education (last)... Oh wait that's all here today!
I'm still trying to figure out what your rant concerning this particular story has to do with Republicans? If you want to come out of the closet, and admit you want to toss Karl Marx's (Or Barney Franks) salad, just say it? No need to go off about something that has nothing to do with in flight WiFi? They do all kinds of fun stuff overseas before we do. We do a lot of stuff here in the USA before they do. Dude, Obama sucks. Admit it, let it go, and move on.