A system for providing wireless communication services to wireless subscriber devices that are located in an aircraft (103, 104) that is operational in a selected coverage area, comprising: a ground-based communications network having a plurality of base stations (131, 133) located on the ground, each of which operates at least one transceiver to create a respective coverage area that provides wireless communication services to wireless subscriber devices that are located in an aircraft that is operational in the respective coverage area, said at least one transceiver of the each base station comprising: Air-To-Ground Radio Frequency means for providing, via first antenna system means disposed at the each base station, at least one bi-directional radio frequency communication link, operating at a first radio frequency and having a first bandwidth, for transmitting first communications signals between said aircraft and said at least one transceiver to enable the wireless subscriber devices located in said aircraft to bi-directionally communicate over said at least one bi-directional radio frequency communication link; and Broadband Ground-To-Air Data Channel means for establishing, via second antenna system means disposed at the each base station, at least one Ground-To-Air Radio Frequency communications link, operating at a second radio frequency and having a second bandwidth which is greater than said first bandwidth, with said aircraft for supplementing the Air-To-Ground Radio Frequency means to provide, by the each base station, additional data communication capacity for transmitting second communications signals from said at least one transceiver to said aircraft, the Broadband Ground-To-Air Data Channel means including means for creating at least one steered directional radio frequency beam that is transmitted via said second antenna system and that is directed to said aircraft. Air-To-Ground Radio Frequency means for providing, via first antenna system means disposed at the each base station, at least one bi-directional radio frequency communication link, operating at a first radio frequency and having a first bandwidth, for transmitting first communications signals between said aircraft and said at least one transceiver to enable the wireless subscriber devices located in said aircraft to bi-directionally communicate over said at least one bi-directional radio frequency communication link; and Broadband Ground-To-Air Data Channel means for establishing, via second antenna system means disposed at the each base station, at least one Ground-To-Air Radio Frequency communications link, operating at a second radio frequency and having a second bandwidth which is greater than said first bandwidth, with said aircraft for supplementing the Air-To-Ground Radio Frequency means to provide, by the each base station, additional data communication capacity for transmitting second communications signals from said at least one transceiver to said aircraft, the Broadband Ground-To-Air Data Channel means including means for creating at least one steered directional radio frequency beam that is transmitted via said second antenna system and that is directed to said aircraft.