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Gogo gets FCC approval for faster Wi-Fi on aircraft

Gogo, the Itasca-based provider of Wi-Fi service on aircraft, said Thursday it cleared a "major hurdle" when it received federal approval for its new, faster Internet connection technology.

The service called 2Ku is several times faster than existing technology and is satellite-based so it offers connections over water. It received approval from the Federal Communications Commission. The company's other technology is air-to-ground, using cellular towers.

 "Clearing the necessary regulatory hurdles to provide this service to an aircraft flying anywhere around the globe is no small feat," Gogo CEO Michael Small said. 

 FCC approval allows Gogo to operate its 2Ku system on 1,000 aircraft. 

 The new antenna technology is expected to deliver peak speeds to the aircraft of more than 70 megabits per second, faster than many in-home Internet connections. Future satellite technologies could deliver peak speeds of more than 100 Mbps, the company said. 

 It also will be more efficient, producing more bandwidth at less cost, Gogo said. That could lower the cost of in-flight Wi-Fi, company officials have said. Prices now are set to limit the number of passengers using the system because of limited bandwidth. 

 The new antenna is 4.5 inches tall and produces little drag on the aircraft, the company said. 

 Several airlines have signed on to try the new technology. They include Chicago-based United Airlines, which plans to begin a trial of Gogo's 2Ku Wi-Fi on five of its aircraft that operate "premium service" between JFK Airport in New York and Los Angeles and San Francisco.  

Gogo expects the new service to be available for the commercial aviation market in the second half of this year.