Inflight connectivity and services provider Aircell (Booth No. 510) announced that charter and management provider Avjet has passed the mid-point in a program to equip its charter fleet with Aircell’s Gogo Biz inflight Internet service.

Gogo Biz offers coverage over the continental U.S. and most of southeast Alaska above 10,000 feet. Data transfer rates of up to 3.1 mbps allow passengers and crew to access the Internet through personal Wi-Fi-enabled laptops, tablets, smartphones, electronic flight bags and other mobile devices.

“Inflight Internet service has quickly become an expected amenity in the charter industry,” said Avjet president Mark Lefever. “It’s actually becoming increasingly difficult to book charter aircraft without it.”

Avjet (Booth No. 2120) expects to have most of its fleet equipped with Gogo Biz by late next year, including all the large-cabin Gulfstreams, but excluding a handful of the smaller aircraft. A few of the larger business jets are also equipped with Inmarsat’s SwiftBroadband, which permits global Internet connectivity.

Aircell plans to begin ground-based cell site construction in Canada in the fourth quarter of this year. The company expects the Canadian network covering the southern, more populated areas of the country to be in operation by the end of next year. – K.J.H.