FCC to sell airwaves for airline high-speed Internet
On May 10, the FCC will begin auctioning the frequencies currently being used for airline phone service to companies wishing to provide broadband server to air travelers. Verizon has had a monopoly on airline phone service, but many travelers have been turned off by the high cost of a couple dollars a minute. The auction promises that several carriers will offer high-speed Internet access for lower cost. In addition, flyers will still be able to call their friends using VoIP.
The FCC wants the auction to raise at least $5 million dollars and plans to sell frequencies in 1 to 3 megahertz chunks. Verizon, who currently has a five year non-renewable contract with the FCC, plans to bid.
Internet is already on planes with Lufthansa and a few other carriers already offering high-speed access via satellite on some flights. Customers can buy in 30-minute increments or for $29.95 get access for the full flight.
- Google makes mobile personal; launches search boxes
- Symantec issues security warning for its own software
- Fujitsu announces 200 GB 2.5" hard drives for 2006
- China imported record value of $19.05 billion in technology in 2005
- DDR2 prices surpassing DDR levels
- BenQ aims to ship over 50 million handsets in 2006
- PSC to buy Macronix 12" fab for NAND flash production
- Microsoft experimenting with sonic 'texture' ambiance for Vista
- Apple files US trademark for 'Mobile Me'
- Is Independent Gaming Getting Evil?
- Stardust capsule lands in Utah
- A Strange Corporate Reluctance to Save on Telephone Bills
- Holiday video game sales could be well off target
- Arima lands entry-level notebook order from HP
- DRAM output grew over 50% in 2005, DDR2 shows exceptional growth
- Intel 946GZ and 946PL chipsets on track for Q2
- Quanta to make Windows-based PDA phones for HP
- TSMC preps immersion lithography for sub-22nm wafer production
