fbpx
News

Google is reportedly considering buying Nokia’s in-flight Wi-Fi technology

Google could soon start offering in-flight Wi-Fi.

The search giant is reportedly pursuing an acquisition of Nokia’s Oyj airplane broadband business, according to a new report from Bloomberg.

Citing “people familiar with the matter,” the publication says “an agreement may be reached soon” — though it cautions that both Google and Nokia may decide against a potential deal.

The acquisition, were it to go through, would be a major boon for travellers who lament the lack of connectivity on commercial airplane flights.

Nokia’s LTE A2G technology works differently from the spotty tech typically associated with in-flight Wi-Fi. Instead of bouncing off broadband signals off a satellite, LTE A2G establishes a direct link between an aircraft and the ground. With Google’s resources, travellers could quickly find the technology available on most flights.

Currently, the best known provider of in-flight Wi-Fi is a firm called Gogo.

In November, the company announced a partnership with Air Canada to provide the airline’s frequent flyers with complimentary Wi-Fi. At the time, Air Canada was the only airline in North America to offer complimentary Wi-Fi to its frequent flyer members.

Image courtesy of Flickr user Caribb

Source: Bloomberg

MobileSyrup may earn a commission from purchases made via our links, which helps fund the journalism we provide free on our website. These links do not influence our editorial content. Support us here.

Related Articles

Comments