Canadians rejoice! Gogo to offer onboard WiFi on airlines

Passengers flying in, out and around Canada are about to get more connected. It looks like we are finally catching up with the US in term of inflight WiFi thanks to Industry Canada and Gogo. Hit jump for the press release.

Gogo, a leader of in-flight connectivity and a pioneer in wireless in-flight digital entertainment solutions, announced that Industry Canada has issued Gogo a subordinate license for Canada's air-to-ground (ATG) radio frequency spectrum that will allow Gogo to serve passengers on commercial and business aircraft flying over Canada.

The Canadian network will operate on the same frequency as Gogo's existing ATG network in the continental United States, which will allow Gogo to provide seamless service within Canada and on cross-border flights between the U.S. and Canada. Gogo expects to begin cell site construction in the fourth quarter of this year and expects the network to be in operation by the end of 2013.

The network will focus initially on Canadian routes served by Gogo's existing U.S. and Canadian commercial airline customers. It will also service business aircraft currently using Aircell's Gogo Biz high speed internet service. Aircell, a Gogo company, provides a suite of in-flight connectivity solutions for the global business aviation community.

"This license will allow us to offer seamless connectivity service for both our commercial airline partners and business aviation customers operating between the U.S. and Canada," said Michael Small, Gogo's president and CEO. "Whether it's on a commercial or business aircraft, passengers traveling in Canada can soon experience the same technology that has a proven track record of performance and reliability in the U.S."
Gogo's Canadian license is subordinate to a primary spectrum license that was acquired at auction in 2009 by SkySurf Canada Communications Inc. Gogo won the comparable U.S. spectrum at auction in 2006.
About Gogo

Gogo is fast becoming everyone's favorite part of flying. By allowing travelers to get online, in air, Gogo keeps them connected to life. Using the Gogo exclusive network and services, passengers with laptops and other Wi-Fi enabled devices can get online on more than 1,600 commercial aircraft including all domestic mainline Delta Air Lines and nearly all of Delta's regional jets; all AirTran Airways and Virgin America flights; and select Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Frontier Airlines, United Airlines, and US Airways flights.

Source: Gogo via Engadget