Canadian passengers face wait to take advantage of wireless spectrum
By Laura Severs - Business Edge

Coffee, tea or Wi-Fi?

Canadian flyers can expect to find themselves getting a taste of the information superskyway in the months to come.

But don't expect this new connectivity will allow you to use a cell or smart phones for wireless calls while jetting across the country. That part of the spectrum remains on hold for now in Canada, despite similar service being introduced on a number of international airlines.

And connectivity will be gradual. Air Canada has announced it will introduce live internet service this spring, initially only on a limited number of routes. WestJet and Air Transat say they have no immediate plans to follow suit.

"Internet access is something our customers are very interested in. We already offer the on-board entertainment systems and this would be the natural next step," says Air Canada spokeswoman Angela Mah.

However the new service will not include voice over internet protocol (VoIP), as laws in the U.S. and Canada do not allow cellphone use in flight.

Air Canada will provide internet access through Gogo, an in-flight service that turns a commercial airplane into a Wi-Fi hot spot. The airline is the first international customer of the technology pioneered by Illinois-based Aircell LLC.

The service will be available on Airbus A319 aircraft on select flights to California and will be accessible by customers with a standard, Wi-Fi-equipped laptop or personal electronic device.

The Gogo system will be powered by Aircell's existing network and for a faster rollout, will initially be available only over U.S. airspace.

As Aircell's coverage network expands, Air Canada plans to extend the system throughout its North American and international market.

In-flight internet access doesn't surprise Eamon Hoey, senior partner in Toronto-based Hoey Associates, a management-consulting firm.

"It's the rare flight I go on that somebody doesn't pull out their laptop and go at it, but what has been missing is connectivity," says Hoey.

Voice communication will inevitably follow, he predicts, after carriers equip their planes with internet access.

As for the old argument of electronics interfering with the plane's equipment, Hoey says that really isn't an issue.

"Because it's wireless and aircraft depend on wireless communications to fly, there were all sorts of concern that they might get interference that could cause the pilots to lose control," says Hoey. "But the reality is that there's not much chance of that happening."

European low-cost carrier Ryanair launched its in-flight mobile phone service in mid-February on-board 20 planes, and is poised to expand it to all of its 170 aircraft.

The service allows passengers to make and receive mobile calls, as well as texts.

Dubai-based carrier Emirates was the first airline to introduce in-flight mobile phone service in March 2008, on a system that also allows text messaging.

Hoey says Canadian airlines are probably more concerned about large numbers of cellphones in use at the same time, posing an annoyance to other passengers. Cellphone users could also be so distracted by their conversations that they miss important safety messages.

It's too early to tell how cellphones or internet usage in flight will be viewed by other passengers, says WestJet's manager of public relations Robert Palmer.

"We're watching the experience of a number of airlines that have enabled it," says Palmer. "There's not a sufficient body of experience to go by.

"If we were to enable use of internet access, the sound issue or audio issue would also have to be addressed. But there are airlines in the United States that have enabled internet access as well as cellphone access. We're monitoring that as well."

Palmer adds that, to the best of his knowledge, there isn't a huge demand for in-flight cellphone or internet use. "There's obviously a convenience factor, but at what impact to the rest of our guests?" Air Transat says its business model, which caters to those going on vacation, is different from other carriers, and there are no immediate plans to introduce any such services.

Wireless Skies

Transport Canada's regulations prohibit the use of a portable electronic device on board an aircraft where the device may impair the functioning of the aircraft systems or equipment. They state the regulations are for the safety of the aircraft and passengers due to the potential for interference. But changes may be coming:

* A notice of proposed amendment to Canadian aviation regulations is being drafted, with a plan to consult with industry this year about portable electronic devices.

* Transport Canada is considering changing its regulations to allow the use of cellular telephones after an aircraft has landed and is taxiing to the gate. It issued an interim exemption in November 2007 until permanent changes are made to Canadian aviation regulations.

* Even if a plane is equipped for wireless internet, from a Canadian regulatory perspective, passengers are not allowed to use it to connect to the internet with their laptops or other wireless devices. These devices can only be used for non-connectivity work.