Aircell hooks ZTE, Qualcomm to bolster Gogo

Aircell has teamed with ZTE USA Inc. and Qualcomm Inc. to create a networking platform for Aircell’s Gogo in-flight Internet service.
Since August passengers on some transcontinental American Airline flights have been able to surf the Internet using the Aircell service. More airlines are planning to launch the offering next year.
For its new platform, Aircell is using CDMA2000 1x EV-DO Rev. A base stations and IP switching platform from ZTE USA, a subsidiary of ZTE Corp. The company is also using Qualcomm’s aircraft-mounted modems to power the service.
The technology was engineered to deal with high speed and high altitude. The connection between the modems and base stations reportedly improves previous in-flight wireless services.
“When designing out industry-first in-flight mobile broadband service, we were searching for companies that would work hand-in-hand with us to create a flexible and customized networking platform that was optimized for our unique air-to-ground needs,” Joe Cruz, Aircell CTO, said in a statement. “We found those allies in ZTE and Qualcomm.”
American Airlines has equipped 15 Boeing 767-200 aircraft with Gogo and is offering the service on 28 daily flights between New York and San Francisco; New York and Los Angeles; and New York and Miami.