Simphone OpenCabin System Chosen For Airbus A318 Elite Program

New TrueNorth system to be installed by BizJet International on all program completions

Ottawa, Canada (March 1, 2010) — TrueNorth’s new Simphone¯ OpenCabin system has been selected by BizJet, a specialized provider of custom VIP, corporate and government aircraft, as the airborne telecommunications solution for the Airbus A318 Elite program. Simphone¯ OpenCabin systems will include a Wi-Fi local area network (LAN), high-speed data integration, TrueNorth’s corded and cordless handsets with available credit card readers, and an option for Iridium worldwide Satcom service. Installations will be performed under an FAA/EASA STC at BizJet’s newly expanded completion center in Tulsa, OK.

“We were impressed with the range and depth of capability, as well as the quality and customization options offered by TrueNorth’s OpenCabin system,” said Kai Roepke, V-P Corporate Completions for BizJet. “Our VIP customers expect the best and latest features, and with full VoIP capability, walk-on use of their own Wi-Fi smartphones and an open architecture that accommodates literally every available airborne communications network, the Simphone¯ OpenCabin solution is the ideal fit for the A318 Elite program,” he added.

“We’re very pleased that BizJet, which specializes in supporting the most demanding operators, saw the value of choosing Simphone¯ OpenCabin for airborne communications solution,” said Mark van Berkel, TrueNorth’s president. “This contract is further confirmation that, with its unique ability to add features and stay current throughout the life of the airframe, as well as its enterprise-level security, Simphone¯ OpenCabin is the new standard in airborne business telecommunications,” he concluded.

A revolutionary software-centric concept, the Simphone¯ (pronounced ‘symphony’) OpenCabin system uses a suite of enterprise-level software applications (‘apps’) to bring advanced voice and data-management capabilities to business aviation. Since current hardware-centric airborne telecom systems are heavy, complex, expensive to install and prone to obsolescence, TrueNorth developed a converged solution that turns a company’s aircraft into an extension of its corporate IT and communications networks. Benefits include robust, ‘office-in-the-sky’ performance; an unlimited lifespan; significant long-term cost savings; and the ability to add a wide variety of custom functions by simply uploading software apps.