Later this year, 64K speed upgrades will be available. Passengers could enjoy speeds ranging from 56K to a theoretical 20MB, depending on the number of onboard users and planes beaming simultaneous transmissions, and the type of onboard network. In-flight wireless technology is trickier because it remains unproven whether or not its frequencies interfere with airplane navigational equipment. Meanwhile, BAE Systems is awaiting FAA approval on a technology that enables personal mobile phone use. The phones transmit to an onboard cell site, which forwards the signal to a cell site on the ground.
Travelers can expect to enjoy live TV channels.
Tenzing plans to have a couple of live TV channels in 2002. And AirTV hopes by 2004 to have 40 channels of live digital programming from around the world, not to mention 40MB of Internet. Then there's the related software and peripherals. Inflight Online software enables passengers to select songs from a digital jukebox and order a customized music CD that is mailed to them. Sadly, economy class will have to take a backseat in this journey into the future.