捷藍航空（JetBlue）的旅客們，對機上Wi-Fi的等待已經接近尾聲：公司今天的一封內部郵件透露，該航空公司打算在2013年第一季度推出高速無線網路。Verge公司發給機組人員的一份備忘錄承認，Wi-Fi是一項強大的資產，常常會影響航空旅客決定預訂的機票。”客戶，尤其是商務旅行的客戶，在其他條件相同的情況下，會選擇提供互聯互通服務的航空公司，即使服務參差不齊或價格昂貴。”

捷藍航空：現有的選擇是暗淡的

然而，該公司並沒有選擇像捷藍航空（Jetblue）嘲笑的Gogo這樣既慢又不令人滿意的現有方案，而是轉向ViaSat提供Wi-Fi解決方案。我們對一月份ViaSat的Exede技術的展示印象深刻，捷藍航空似乎相信，建立這種合作關係是推動機上網路發展的正確舉措。具體來說，它聲稱測試在平均1分18秒的時間裡載入了10個（未指明的）網頁，而一個不知名的競爭對手花了8分鐘完成了同樣的壯舉。

在一些人看來，價格比速度更重要，這是捷藍航空沒有忘記的事實。這家折扣航空公司表示，在至少30架飛機配備必要的高速Ka波段衛星之前，它將提供免費的空中連線。

前30架飛機免費

我們的訊息來源聲稱，在這個初步試用期後，該服務將保持免費的“基本電子郵件和瀏覽”的目的，雖然你顯然將支付如果你希望流Netflix在這些跨國航班。透過與LiveTV現有的合作關係，捷藍航空預計將於2013年第一季度開始安裝其中的第一顆衛星。據報道，該公司計劃在本週舉行的世界低成本航空公司大會上正式公佈其計劃，因此我們很快就會知道更多訊息。同時，我們已經在下麵附上了完整的電子郵件。

I'm writing to you from London, where I’m about to reveal some of the details of our Wi-Fi product to the World Low Cost Airlines Conference. I want to make sure you hear it first, of course, so please read on!

Currently, Wi-Fi on board is a competitive advantage. Customers, especially those traveling for business, with everything else being equal, will choose the airline that offers connectivity, even if the service is spotty or expensive.

Understanding how important inflight connectivity is to Customers forces airlines that don’t have Wi-Fi to get in the game, quickly. Airlines can choose ground-to-air services, like Gogo, or satellite-based services like Row 44 or Panasonic. Although the technology is different, the Customer experience is very similar – s l o w.

According to a recent FlightView survey, only a **all percentage of Customers are satisfied with the Wi-Fi service models currently offered in-flight and at airports.

The challenge for us was building a Wi-Fi product that broke this slow, frustrating and ultimately unsatisfactory mold. We wanted to find a way to deliver faster and less expensive service that would result in greater satisfaction. With LiveTV partnering with ViaSat, I think we found the sweet spot.

Our Wi-Fi will be lightning fast. In a series of tests, ViaSat’s staff was able to load 10 web pages through our satellite service in an average of 1 minute, 18 seconds! The second-fastest service, commonly deployed by our compe*****s, took as long as 8 minutes, 42 seconds! Customers are going to know that JetBlue’s Wi-Fi is faster – word will definitely get around.

But to make sure Customers appreciate the difference, we also decided to make the baseline connectivity free, at least until the first 30 aircraft are equipped with our service. If the speed doesn’t get them talking, the free part should!

The difference is in the technology. The Ka-band satellite we launched last October is the latest generation, with capacity equal to 100 last-generation Ku-band satellites. It’s **arter, newer, cheaper and better than anything on the market today for commercial aviation. This technology had only been available to government and private aviation, in fact. We plan to make JetBlue the very first commercial airline to offer this product on board, at altitude.

Our first foray into connectivity, with BetaBlue in 2007, was a great learning experience and I don’t regret it for one minute. It wasn’t easy for anyone to endure the questi*** and demands for good Wi-Fi from our Customers, but it was the right decision. LiveTV will begin installing ViaSat on our aircraft in the first quarter of 2013 – so stay tuned for more information as it rolls out. I know it will be worth the wait.