Qantas is here to make sure you never unplug "” even if you’re in the sky somewhere over the Simpson Desert.
On Tuesday, the Australian airline announced it will be launching super-fast free Wi-Fi on board some of its domestic fleet in 2017. In a statement, Qantas claimed its Internet speeds will be 10 times faster than your average on-board Wi-Fi. Just think of all the downloads you could do on Qantas’s dime.
To get the technology off the ground, Qantas has partnered with broadband service provider ViaSat, who will help connect the aircraft with the Internet via satellite and ground stations.
«The sheer size of the Australian landmass creates some significant challenges for inflight connectivity but the recent launch of [the National Broadband Network’s] satellite has opened up new opportunities that we plan to take advantage of with ViaSat’s help,» Qantas CEO Alan Joyce said in the statement.
«You won’t be limited to checking your email or Facebook "” it’s going to be about watching the football live, streaming your favourite TV show or movie, catching up on the latest YouTube videos, or shopping online.»
When asked whether the airline would impose a data limit on downloads or whether it would block chat services such as Skype "” no one wants to hear passengers yabber away for the length of a five-hour flight from Sydney to Perth "” a Qantas spokesperson said everything is on the table.
«There’s further detail that we will be working through in terms of what applications will be able to access Wi-Fi as there are a lot of differing opinions. It’s something that we will be working through during the trial,» he told Mashable Australia.
The spokesperson also said that while Qantas is first in line for Wi-Fi, the company is also considering introducing the service on its low-cost operator, Jetstar. «Qantas is the priority right now but clearly we"™ll be sharing what we learn during the trial with the team at Jetstar,» he said…
