FCC Eases Rules For Quicker In-Flight Internet Deployment

As silly as it seems to use 20,000 pounds of potatoes to test wireless signals, there’s absolutely a good reason behind it and the FCC announced today new rules that will help get more potatoes into the seats of decommissioned planes.

Actually, today’s news will help speed up the process of deploying Internet services onto aircraft by defining ESAA, or Earth Stations Aboard Aircraft which are used to provide in-flight Internet services, as a licensed application that would allow for airlines to test and receive approval as long as their system doesn’t interfere with the aircraft’s systems.

FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski shared what exactly the organizations news rules would mean to the average passenger:

“These new rules will help airlines and broadband providers offer high-speed Internet to passengers, including by accelerating by up to 50 percent the processing of applications to provide broadband on planes.”

I don’t know about you, but the more Internet there is on my flight, the less anxious I feel about flying as I have become one of those people who need constant Internet access wherever they go. Let’s just hope today’s news doesn’t create a spike in potato demand as I won’t agree to trading in a constant flow of french fries for the chance of my flight having Internet any time soon.

Daniel Perez
Categories: General
Tags: FCC, in-flight, WiFi