In-flight Wi-Fi is about to become a thing people actually use

Soon in-flight Wi-Fi will be reshaped by some of the same trends affecting Internet connectivity on the ground. People are shifting away from traditional, fixed broadband connections and toward wireless connections that allow them to surf the Web outside the home and office on their mobile devices. Cisco predicts that by 2019, Americans will consume 10 times more mobile data than they did in 2014. Those forecasts will undoubtedly affect how the industry provides in-flight Wi-Fi. Upgraded communications satellites will soon allow not just faster airborne Internet, but also fancy video services such as live sports, music streaming and even in-flight mobile advertising, providing what will be a "near-home type experience."

New satellite technology promises speeds of 50 megabits per second, up from the 500 kilobits per second on older satellites. The big question is whether all of these new features will also come with lower prices for consumers, or if carriers like Gogo will charge premium rates for such access. The problem is reminiscent of what's happening on the ground. It's expensive to set up all the hardware needed to provide Internet. But what will likely keep pushing the in-flight Wi-Fi industry forward is the knowledge that consumers' expectations are constantly rising. They want the same experience that they get in their home, an experience that's enabled by ground-based Internet providers and content services.