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story category Virgin Offers Wi-Fi Across Entire Fleet
Which would be more impressive if their fleet wasn't tiny...
01:56PM Wednesday May 20 2009 by Karl Bode
tags: prices · business · wireless · alternatives
Virgin America announced today that they're the "first and only" U.S. carrier to offer Wi-Fi service across their entire fleet. While that's great news for broadband junkies and a nice step forward for a sector that's been painfully stunted, the relatively small (fewer than 30 planes) size of their fleet made the task substantially easier for Virgin. Like Delta and American Airlines, Virgin is using Aircell's "Gogo" in-flight broadband service. Gogo costs $7.95 for smart phone access on flights of any length, $9.95 for regular access on flights of three hours or less, and $12.95 on flights of more than three hours.

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Forums » Virgin Offers Wi-Fi Across Entire Fleet
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fiberguy
My views are my own.
Premium
join:2005-05-20

LONG road to ROI

At those prices, I'm sorry to tell them, they're going to have a really hard time getting an ROI on the investment.

I predict that unless they drop the price, the service will go the way of the AirPhone.
iansltx

join:2007-02-19
Golden, CO

Re: LONG road to ROI

Hey, I'd pay that much to get WiFi on my flight. I'm sure a lot of the technorati would do the same. Just look at all the web celebs on Virgin's every-so-often inaugural flights
Araiden

join:2008-04-12

What's wrong with those prices? They seem pretty reasonable to me. What do you expect to be able to use the service in the air? I'd pay those prices to be able to use my smartphone or laptop while i'm flying as long as the service is somewhat decent surf web pages fairly quickly etc.

Matt
Gone playing Dragon Age Origins
Premium
join:2003-07-20
Jamestown, NC
I agree with the previous two posters. I think those prices for the most part are very fair. I hope my cross country flight this summer offers in-flight WiFi.

jefe
Premium
join:2001-05-19
Northport, NY
·Verizon FIOS

Re: LONG road to ROI

I've flown NY/SFO a few times on Virgin and used their wifi each time. Last trip my wife and I split the use...her on her iPhone and me on my laptop.

Email, browsing, etc. helps pass the flight. Plus, in my case, it reduces the likelihood that when I land I'll find some work related email waiting for me that needs attention and that I could've handled while I was a captive in an airlne seat.
FHBroadband

join:2009-04-15


1 edit

Re: LONG road to ROI

Wifi on Virgin America works with a laptop? Ethernet isn't activated, it goes thru the wireless?

According to Virgin they had ethernet + wireless connectivity but ethernet wasn't activated yet and neither was wireless. Now I take it the wireless is active and ethernet is not?

Also does the wireless work with regular laptops?

jefe
Premium
join:2001-05-19
Northport, NY

Re: LONG road to ROI

What's a "regular" laptop?

Virgin's wifi worked with Dell D620 Lattitude's standard built in wifi card. And, as I mentioned above, it also worked fine with my wife's iPhone.

Cheese
Premium
join:2003-10-26
Naples, FL
clubs:

said by FHBroadband See Profile :

Wifi on Virgin America works with a laptop? Ethernet isn't activated, it goes thru the wireless?

According to Virgin they had ethernet + wireless connectivity but ethernet wasn't activated yet and neither was wireless. Now I take it the wireless is active and ethernet is not?

Also does the wireless work with regular laptops?

morbo
Complete Your Transaction

join:2002-01-22
00000
clubs:
that pricing is reasonable for in-flight entertainment. i think they have it just about right.
djeremy

join:2004-07-12
San Francisco, CA

Re: LONG road to ROI

I'll be paying that $12.95 for my SFO to BOS flight next week on Virgin. That seems totally reasonable for a 5 hour flight.

I'm wondering if all the other airlines implementing WiFi have power plugs in every the seat like Virgin does. Paying that $12.95 without a power port would be somewhat usless.

wifi4milez
Big Russ, 1918 to 2008. Rest in Peace

join:2004-08-07
New York, NY
·Verizon FIOS
·Sprint Mobile Broa..
·RoadRunner Cable
·BroadVoice

said by morbo See Profile :

that pricing is reasonable for in-flight entertainment. i think they have it just about right.
Yep, I am flying from NYC to LA in July (on Virgin) and I can assure you I will be purchasing the $12.95 package. Sure, I think $10 would be better (or free!) but their price is fair enough.
--
When you can't make them see the light, make them feel the heat.
-Ronald Reagan-


Rob
In Deo speramus, God Bless the USA
Premium
join:2001-08-25
Kendall, FL
·Comcast

said by fiberguy See Profile :

At those prices, I'm sorry to tell them, they're going to have a really hard time getting an ROI on the investment.

I predict that unless they drop the price, the service will go the way of the AirPhone.
I disagree. I suspect they'll see ROI fairly quickly now that it's available on all their fleets.

The prices are very reasonable.
--
CheckSite.us | YourIP.us | Reverseip.us
FHBroadband

join:2009-04-15

Re: LONG road to ROI

Agree with the pricing. With the power ports + Internet (hopefully ethernet will work with laptops), the question becomes which Laptop is appropriate to use in coach class.

Rob
In Deo speramus, God Bless the USA
Premium
join:2001-08-25
Kendall, FL
·Comcast

Re: LONG road to ROI

said by FHBroadband See Profile :

the question becomes which Laptop is appropriate to use in coach class.
.. the one with no speakers

davoice

join:2000-08-12
Saxapahaw, NC
·Comporium

Re: LONG road to ROI

said by Rob See Profile :

said by FHBroadband See Profile :

the question becomes which Laptop is appropriate to use in coach class.
.. the one with no speakers
With seat pitches below 34" (most major airlines), as tiny as possible. Anything bigger than 12" screen does not fit on the tray table. Anything bigger than 10" does fit if the genius in front of you reclines.

}Davoice

Jason247

@pacbell.net

Re: LONG road to ROI

Agreed. I have a 14" laptop which is borderline unusable on VA when the passenger in front reclines. But alas, I still fly on VA since they're also the only airline with power outlets on every seat in every plane.

I think I may have to buy a netbook now.
fiberguy
My views are my own.
Premium
join:2005-05-20

WOW! Just incredible!!

Looks like I have some homework for some later finger pointing and gloating to do.

I do recall, some months back, when others, in this very forum posting, stated it was too much.. now it's just fine.. Hmmmm.. Interesting...

I still disagree.. The price point is too high to gain the level of customers they need to support the service on its own...

While people here may find it a value, try stacking that up against regular travelers. Remember, this is a budget airline. People will make a choice to AVOID a carrier over $10 in ticket price, ESPECIALLY when you are to 2 and 3 ticketed passengers. That alone ads up to $60 round trip in the case of three.. and doesn't include baggage fees, etc. Frontier Airlines flies many flights with DirecTV dark becuase people won't pay the $5 for the service.. In this economy, and ala cart add-up-quickly flying, people are going to think twice.. often.

LOOKING AT THE BIG PICTURE, not a niche' group of people like here (sorry, it's the truth) I don't see this as a good price point.. especially for the amount its going to be crippled. Essentially, it's for email, chat, and some web... $13.00 is a lot for that.

I swear, too, I think that people like to disagree with me just to disagree.. so, now off to find post history on those who now love the price today where they hated it a few months back.

davoice

join:2000-08-12
Saxapahaw, NC
·Comporium

Re: LONG road to ROI

Also remember there is somewhat limited capacity. So they don't want to price it where every Moe, Larry and Curly on the plane will log on. You're essentially sharing a single EVDO aircard w/ everyone on the plane.

Better to have 1 person at $13 than 2 at $6.

}Davoice
FHBroadband

join:2009-04-15


1 edit

Re: LONG road to ROI

Virgin allegedly has ethernet ports but they are not utilized at this time if I recall.

Apparently the wireless internet was finally enabled.

I assume the power ports work. Virgin America has first class but coach prices are significantly cheaper.

It was just a matter of time before Virgin added the features as their aircraft are all fully equipped.

SwissAir ran a plane which had an FAA certified video entertainment system which was rushed and wiring arc'ed and the plane blew up killing all. Other airlines saw the issue and did not use this equipment.

Virgin America's system is fully tested, FAA approved I hope the engineers did their due dilligence with making it all work without safety issues. I assume the final safety certifications came through which is why only recently it came into play.

I wonder when the ethernet will get activated.
FHBroadband

join:2009-04-15

Re: LONG road to ROI

»www.virginamerica.com/va/press/2···iFi.html

Looks like those are the laptops people were using.

Was that coach I presume?

PhoenixDown
-- Wants FIOS
Premium
join:2003-06-08
Fresh Meadows, NY
clubs:
I think the ethernet cables are used to carry the video and music from their on flight server to the monitor in the head rest.
--
~ Insert a Funny Sig Here ~
FHBroadband

join:2009-04-15

2 edits

Re: LONG road to ROI

No I mean the in seat ethernet jacks where you can plug an ethernet cable into. It is mentioned on the website.
fiberguy
My views are my own.
Premium
join:2005-05-20
I don't recall the wiring arcing more so than it over heated and the insulation material used on the DC11 caught on fire causing the systems to shut down and the plane ultimately crashed into the water off the coast of Nova Scotia..

r81984
Thread is
Premium
join:2001-11-14
St John'S, NL
·magicjack.com
·Cox HSI
·Insight Communicat..
·AT&T Midwest


1 edit
said by fiberguy See Profile :

At those prices, I'm sorry to tell them, they're going to have a really hard time getting an ROI on the investment.

I predict that unless they drop the price, the service will go the way of the AirPhone.
I was on a Delta flight 2 weeks ago and paid $10 to have gogo wireless for my laptop on my 3 hour flight. It was worth every penny.

I had a about a 250/250 connection.
--
For those of you playing a drinking game.... MY FRIENDS!
wildcat man

join:2007-11-03
Kansas City, MO
·Sprint Mobile Broa..

I tried it and it works very well

I flew from Atlanta to Kansas City on a Delta flight. There were three others using it on my flight - all were laptops. I blogged from 36K feet. As a businessman, it's invaluable. Logged into webmail, and went on my way. No waiting. For $7.95. Excellent value - wouldn't do it every time, but for most business flights I'll use it.
SprintNextel

join:2006-11-13
Aurora, CO

MAC address spoofing

I will sit back and wait for someone else to connect and pay - simply sniff out their MAC address and SPOOF - I do this all the time at pay for wifi hotspots. )

aaronwt
Premium
join:2004-11-07
Woodbridge, VA
·Verizon FIOS
·Comcast

Sounds like a very good price

If I were still traveling for work I would certianly pay these prices. Heck I already pay the $20 a day for internet access whenever I'm at a hotel on vacation. So if I were still flying, $12.95 for internet access for a cross country trip would be more than worth it.

Those prices are extremely reasonable.
Forums » Virgin Offers Wi-Fi Across Entire Fleet


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