AT&T abandons its plans for in-flight Wi-Fi

AT&T is abandoning an in-flight wireless initiative that would have positioned it to compete with services such as Gogo. The nation’s second-largest wireless carrier had announced plans this spring to bring high-speed 4G LTE wireless service to flights as soon as next year through a partnership with Honeywell. At the time, AT&T described the skies as full of opportunity — noting that nine out of 10 customers surveyed by Honeywell expressed frustrations with in-flight Wi-Fi, including inconsistent or slow connections. The carrier touted that its technological know-how and deftness at building and managing networks would allow it to provide better quality service. “We expect this service to transform connectivity in the aviation industry — we are truly mobilizing the sky,” AT&T Chief Strategy Officer John Stankey said at the time of the announcement. The carrier issued a statement Monday reversing course, saying it has decided to “no longer pursue entry into the inflight connectivity industry.” The news was first reported by RunwayGirl Network. AT&T said instead it plans to devote its resources to expanding its international presence through deals including the $2.5 billion offer to acquire Iusacell, a wireless company in Mexico.