Free Wi-Fi Coming to San Francisco International

Joining Mineta San Jose and Oakland Airports, SFO will soon launch complimentary Wi-Fi throughout the airport. The switch from paid service, currently offered by T-Mobile, to free service, is expected September 1, 2010.

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Oakland Airport Event Today Celebrates Free Wi-Fi

As we announced late last month, Oakland International has been busy testing the newly installed - and free to passengers, Wi-Fi service throughout the airport. With this new service, Oakland passengers will no longer need to whip out a credit card to pay for wireless Internet access. Instead, users will notice non-intrusive advertisements from companies such as Microsoft, American Express and Holiday Inn as they connect to the web.

To celebrate the new service, airport officials will hold a small wire cutting event later this morning, demonstrating the new service and its associated benefit to travelers.

More information on the new service:

Los Angeles-based FreeFi Networks is the company providing the installation at Oakland Airport. "Air travelers like Wi-Fi, but don't like paying for it," said Lawrence laffer, FreeFi's director of sales and marketing, in a press release.

Oakland Airport is the second major airport installation for FreeFi. A successful launch at Denver International Airport earlier this year has been cheered by business and leisure travelers alike, commenting on the overall quality of service and limited advertisements while connected.

Virgin America Launches WiFi Later This Month

Virgin America announced the roll out of WiFi on its planes will begin November 22, 2008. The company plans to roll out the service on one plane a week until the entire fleet is connected, sometime during the second quarter of 2009. Passengers with WiFi-enabled devices will enjoy connecting to the Internet, checking email, and sending text messages during future Virgin America flights. The cost for this service is $10 for short-haul flights, $13 for long-distance trips. 

Oakland Airport Rolling Out Free WiFi

FreeFi Networks, Inc., the new WiFi service provider at Oakland International Airport, is in the process of rolling out free WiFi service throughout the airport.

Oakland Airport spokesperson Joanne Holloway said the wireless technology is being rolled out in phases. By the end of this week, Gates 20-24 and 29-32 in Terminal 2 should be up and running.

The FreeFi Network is known for their ad-based model of WiFi, allowing users free Internet usage provided they can sit through a brief series of advertisements. Although Oakland Airport officials have not said what, if any, type of advertising will we bundled into the free service, there is a general consensus it will be unobtrusive and fairly-low key, based on feedback from other FreeFi clients.

American Airlines Launches In-Flight Wi-Fi Today

For $13 bucks, passengers flying select American Airlines routes, including San Francisco to New York, will now enjoy in-flight Internet access. According to the Baltimore Business Journal, the service, which was launched today, allows customers with Wi-Fi enabled devices to send emails, surf the web or instant message; Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) services are not available.

Video: How in-flight internet works

Gogo To Connect Flyers To The World - At 30,000 feet

Those needing an Internet or email "fix" during flights will soon get it. Several airlines are working on installing technology which will enable passengers to connect - textually - to the rest of the world, even at 30,000 feet.

A program called Gogo, combined with ground towers positioned throughout the United States, will provide reliable connectivity, at a fairly decent speed, to passengers flying high above. Check out this marketing video describing Gogo, followed by a review by USA Today, putting Gogo to the test.



So how well does the technology work? Check out this review (text & video) from USA Today's Walter S Mossberg, who tested Gogo during a recent flight from San Francisco to Denver.

A race to the finish line: Which U.S airline will offer internet first?

First came Southwest, followed by American, now Virgin America is in the race...the race to see who offers Internet first onboard their U.S flights. But, we've been here before. Sift through your archived Business Week and Technology mags, and you will locate mounds of chatter about how planes are "ready" for Internet service. Many airlines have taken an interest, some have even tested the product since receiving FCC approval back in 2001. But, now in 2007, still no carrier has actually launched the service. That may soon change.

Now a company called AirCell, partnering with Virgin America (and other airlines), has asserted that Wi-Fi will spring to life sometime in 2008. In a press release, AirCell said passengers can "check e-mail, surf the Web, tap into an office network and stay current on the latest news, using either Virgin America’s Red™ in flight entertainment system or their own Wi-Fi enabled laptops, Smartphones, PDAs, BlackBerrys and portable gaming systems - while in flight."

United, Frontier, JetBlue, Southwest, Alaska and American are all somewhere between considering and testing stages for Internet service on their planes. Hopefully with Virgin America advancing to the head of the pack, this will encourage the other carriers to speed up their techie folks and make the Internet an industry standard in the coming years.

Miles for surfing the web
For those who just can't get enough Internet surfing and/or frequent flyer miles, here is a site that will offer the best of both. ZooMiles, a search engine powered by ask.com, will allow you to earn miles while surfing the web. The site is expected to fully launch next month, but folks can request an invitation now. Link