Coming Soon to Canada: In-Flight Wi-Fi

A nationally recognized reporter, writer, and consumer advocate, Ed Perkins focuses on how travelers can find the best deals and avoid scams.

He is the author of "Online Travel" (2000) and "Business Travel: When It's Your Money" (2004), the first step-by-step guide specifically written for small business and self-employed professional travelers. He was also the co-author of the annual "Best Travel Deals" series from Consumers Union.

Perkins' advice for business travelers is featured on MyBusinessTravel.com, a website devoted to helping small business and self-employed professional travelers find the best value for their travel dollars.

Perkins was founding editor of Consumer Reports Travel Letter, one of the country's most influential travel publications, from which he retired in 1998. He has also written for Business Traveller magazine (London).

Perkins' travel expertise has led to frequent television appearances, including ABC's "Good Morning America" and "This Week with David Brinkley," "The CBS Evening News with Dan Rather," CNN, and numerous local TV and radio stations.

Before editing Consumer Reports Travel Letter, Perkins spent 25 years in travel research and consulting with assignments ranging from national tourism development strategies to the design of computer-based tourism models.

Born in Evanston, Illinois, Perkins lives in Ashland, Oregon with his wife.

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Gogo, the outfit that provides the bulk of in-flight Wi-Fi service for North American airlines, has cut a deal to expand into Canada. The Gogo technology relies on ground-based transceivers, similar to cell phone towers, and the new deal, which will go live sometime in 2013, allows Gogo to start building Canadian towers.

Until now, Gogo reception has been available only in those small parts of Canada that are within range of towers in the U.S., and the only Canadian user, Air Canada, has the service only on planes that fly on a few trans-border routes. But Alaska, American, Delta, United, and US Airways—all of which fly to Canada—already use Gogo on at least some planes, and their passengers will be able to access the new Canadian service directly.

According to reports, Air Canada has not committed to Gogo beyond its current arrangement, and WestJet hasn’t made any Wi-Fi commitment, so there’s some possibility that either or both will opt for a satellite-based system instead. Gogo has recognized the demand for Wi-Fi overseas, however, and is adopting its system for both satellite and ground-based technology.

So far, Gogo’s pricing is uniform regardless of airline. You pay anything from $12.70 for a 24-hour pass to $39.95 for unlimited use.

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