Virgin America's new Wi-Fi will be fast enough to stream Netflix

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Virgin America is partnering with ViaSat to provide a faster service
It is said to be ten times the speed current Virgin aircraft have
The service will be fast enough to stream videos from YouTube and Hula

Published: 13:23 EST, 9 July 2015 | Updated: 17:37 EST, 9 July 2015

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Soon days of enduring a slow or non-existent internet connection whilst flying could a thing of the past, with the introduction of a Wi-Fi strong enough to run Netflix.

Virgin America says its new upgraded system in planes will provide users with a service faster than some houses.

The partnership with Wi-Fi service ViaSat will allow guests to stream videos through sites such as YouTube, Hula and Netflix.

The partnership with Wi-Fi service ViaSat will allow Virgin America passengers to stream videos through sites such as YouTube, Hula and Netflix

The new technology is set to be installed in planes later this year, with ten of the newest A320 aircraft receiving the service in September.

Following this, tests will be undertaken on Hawaii flights next year.

Luckily for guests during this time the service will be free of charge, but a pricing system will be created in 2016.

To power the service a highest capacity Ka-band satellite will be used, which is said to provide 30 times the internet speed of the original air-to-ground (ATG) system that most airlines still fly.

It will also be ten times the speed of current aircraft in the Virgin America fleet.

Another satellite, Ku, will be utilised across the pacific, and dual antenna technology lets the plane switch between Ku and Ka.

The first planes will get the Ka-powered internet added in September 2015. Hawaii flights will get Ku-band planes from early 2016.

To power the service a high capacity Ka-band satellite will be used, which is said to provide ten times the internet speed that current Virgin aircraft use, and will allow video streaming sites such as Netflix to be accessed

New York-based Routehappy did a report earlier this year which found that 52 airlines worldwide now offer in-flight Wi-Fi in most regions of the globe and flyers have at least 'some' chance of Wi-Fi on 24 per cent of flights worldwide.

In 2013, United offered only offered 'some chance' of Wi-Fi on 518 U.S. domestic flights. Now, that number has increased by 179 per cent to 1,445 flights.

Out of those who do provide it, a study in October 2014 by Cheapflights.co.uk revealed that Middle Eastern carriers Emirates and Etihad are charging the lowest tariffs for inflight WiFi at around $2.60 and $4.70 per hour, respectively.