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JetBlue May Offer Airborne WiFi

June 3, 2006

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JetBlue, the low-fare airline that currently offers satellite TV at every seat, may soon allow passengers to surf the Web at 30,000 feet. The company has obtained a wireless license in the latest Federal Communications Commission auction.

The license allows the airline to provide onboard high-speed Internet access, as well as a number of other communications services. LiveTV LLC, a subsidiary of JetBlue, bid $7 million for a one-megahertz wireless license.

The wireless frequencies obtained by JetBlue are currently being used by Verizon's Airfone division, which has announced it will discontinue the service. The service has not been popular with passengers because of the high price of airtime.

However, JetBlue says it thinks there may be a market for high-speed Internet access among business travelers. It could begin offering limited service once the licenses are issued, and expand it in 2010, when Verizon completely gives up the frequencies.

The same frequencies could be used to provide cell phone service in the air, through the FCC and Federal Aviation Administration have still not decided whether to permit that.

A number of consumer surveys have shown passengers would prefer that the ban on cell phone use in the air remain in place.

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