Gogo, a provider of in-flight connectivity and wireless in- flight digital entertainment solutions, unveiled its new Text and Talk technology.
According to a release, the new technology uses Gogo’s in-flight Wi-Fi system to allow passengers to send text messages and make phone calls using their own smartphone much like they do on the ground.
To use Gogo Text and Talk, passengers will be required to download an App from the Apple App Store or Google Play. Once passengers have the App, they will be able to send and receive text messages in real time.
“Gogo Text and Talk is just one more way Gogo is keeping airline passengers connected to their lives on the ground,” said Ash ElDifrawi, Gogo’s chief marketing officer. “While we see this as more of a text messaging product for commercial airlines in the United States, the phone functionality is something that some international air carriers and our business aviation customers are asking for.”
Gogo’s Text and Talk application serves as an extension of a GSM or CDMA cellular network, without the need to install picocells.
“The great part about this technology is that it doesn’t require us to install anything new to an aircraft and we can bundle it with or without connectivity,” said ElDifrawi. “We have already launched the service with some of our business aviation customers and we are talking with our commercial airline partners about launching the service for their passengers.”
