Internet on U.S. Planes moves Closer to Takeoff

INTERNET ON US PLANES MOVES CLOSER TO TAKEOFF
[SOURCE: Reuters, AUTHOR: Jeremy Pelofsky]
The prospect of fast Internet connections aboard U.S. commercial airline flights moved ahead on Friday when JetBlue Airways Corp. and another company won licenses for airborne communications services. LiveTV LLC, a subsidiary of the low-cost airline JetBlue which tries to lure customers with on board satellite television service, won a 1 megahertz wireless license with a bid of $7 million. The larger 3 megahertz license was won by AC BidCo with its bid of $31.3 million. That company has ties to AirCell Inc., which designs and sells airborne communications systems, and to private equity firm Ripplewood Holdings LLC. The companies are expected to offer travelers any kind of communications service, like voice communications, Internet access or e-mail while in flight. The licenses granted by the Federal Communications Commission require that the companies provide "substantial service" to aircraft within five years. The Federal Communications Commission raised a total of $38.3 million after 144 rounds and there were no more bids. Proceeds will go into the U.S. Treasury.
http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=technologyNews&storyID=2006-06-02T194206Z_01_N02222830_RTRUKOC_0_US-TELECOMS-WIRELESS-AUCTIO...

* FCC'S Auction of Air-Ground Spectrum Licenses Concludes
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-265757A1.doc