Chalk another one up for the GSM evolution pathway. Aircell, the in-flight GoGo WiFi provider, has announced that they’ll be migrating from their current CDMA-based EVDO Rev. A infrastructure to the GSM 4G LTE mobile broadband standard to provide seriously fast in-flight data services.
Of course, Aircell will have to wait until LTE gets off and running on a large scale before they can introduce “hi-definition and interactive TV and multi- player immersive gaming” services to the cabin. The company is already working with the appropriate standards bodies to make sure that they’ll be ready to go with an LTE-backed in-flight data service as soon as the 4G environment is mature enough to support such an enthusiastic endeavor.
For those of you that can’t stand to be without streaming video and high-speed data on even a short-haul flight up-state, Aircell will be happy to charge you for their LTE-based service in the near future.