Slow Going on GoGo

GoGo inflight internet is invading the US skies.  About 2,000 planes, I'm told, have in-flight internet service in the US.  Yet my experience with GoGo is remarkably mediocre.  Bandwidth feels mostly like dial-up, especially when sending content.

Streaming media is definitely not feasible, but it's just fast enough to do instant messaging and replicate your e-mail.  For most business users, that is enough to make us productive, but not enough to really make the experience enjoyable.

On top of weak bandwidth, the service itself seems to be somewhat random.  The web page for logging in and payments works poorly and just getting online often requires intervention from customer service.  For long flights (transcons) it feels essential, but for shorter ones, I think I will not bother in the future.

Staying Connected On The Road (SFO Photo by Ack Ook)