In an effort to keep customers connected to life on the ground during flights over the high seas, Virgin Atlantic has come to terms on a deal with in-flight Wi-Fi communications provider Gogo.
The deal between Virgin Atlantic and Gogo has been agreed on in principle and now the pair are finalizing the contracts. Gogo hopes to offer Virgin Atlantic customers up to 70 Mbps of bandwidth delivered via satellite.
"We're always looking at ways to enhance the on-board experience for our customers and expanding in-flight connectivity across our fleet is just one of the ways in which we are doing this," says Reuben Arnold, brand and customer engagement director for Virgin Atlantic. "We were impressed with Gogo's connectivity solution and look forward to all of our customers being able to enjoy this service whilst they fly."
Gogo's stock continued it month-long climb, rising by approximately 28 percent since Aug. 12. It rose 3 percent to be valued at $18.47 per, after the partnership with Virgin Atlantic was announced.
So far, Gogo and its terrestrial Internet solutions have fitted over 2,000 commercial and more than 6,000 business aircraft with Wi-Fi. Gogo's new partnership will also strengthen the communication company's relationship with other airlines, according to Michael Small, CEO and president of Gogo.
"Virgin Atlantic is on the cutting edge when it comes to delivering technology solutions to their passengers and we're extremely excited to deliver the best connectivity solutions to keep their passengers connected anywhere they fly around the world," says Michael Small , CEO and president of Gogo. "Virgin Atlantic's relationship with Delta Air Lines will also allow us to build a seamless experience for passengers who fly both airlines."
Earlier in September, Gogo announced partnerships with T-Mobile and Vietnam Airlines. T-Mobile subscribers on any one of Gogo's 2,000 commercial flights can route text and voice service through the communication company's Wi-Fi network.
After Apple reminded everyone of the advantages of Wi-Fi calling during its Sept. 9 press event, T-Mobile has vowed to deliver the service to its customers as soon as possible.
Sprint started its Wi-Fi calling initiative a week or so before Apple's event, but T-Mobile and Verizon have both been a bit slower in embracing the feature.
"We built our voice platform so extensively [that] there was never a need for us to tell our customers, 'Oh, our network is not good enough so you need to go on Wi-Fi to complete your call,' " said Verizon Communications CFO Fran Shammo at a recent conference.
