Hamburg, Aircraft Interiors Expo, April 5, 2011 — OnAir’s combined GSM and inflight Internet services have proven after a successful first year of operation that SwiftBroadband provides more than enough capacity to meet passenger needs.
The combined Mobile OnAir and Internet OnAir services, first launched by Oman Air in March 2010, are also operating on Saudi Arabian Airlines and Egyptair. They allow airline passengers to use their mobile devices in the same way as international roaming or to tap into an onboard Wi-Fi hotspot.
“We are seeing that people communicate during flights in exactly the same way as when they are on a train, in a taxi or at the airport,” said Ian Dawkins, Chief Executive Officer of OnAir. Of passengers accessing the service, 95 percent use the GSM service options rather than logging into the hotspot, our survey shows.
“Passengers predominantly use their mobile devices for calls, text messaging and email, as well as mobile data. More than half of the passengers who bought inflight Internet access used their tablet or smart phone, rather than a laptop, showing that people like the convenience of using their own, familiar, handheld devices.”
“We are all becoming more and more dependent on our mobile phones so it is natural that people want to continue using them during flights,” Dawkins said. “The OnAir GSM services couldn’t be more straightforward: just turn your phone on and use it.” There is no need to enter credit card details because the costs are billed by the passenger’s mobile operator in the regular bill.
When passengers have bought access to the inflight Internet, bandwidth consumption has typically been light, mirroring the way that people communicate on the ground when roaming. Of the top 20 websites accessed over OnAir’s inflight Internet service, Facebook is number one with nearly 40% of all usage. To put that into perspective, the second-ranked website is Google, with only 10%.
OnAir’s combined GSM and inflight Internet services are in operation with Oman Air, Saudi Arabian Airlines and Egypt Air and will be launched with Singapore Airlines, Aeroflot and Libyan Airlines later this year.
New EASA STC Enables Faster, More Affordable Follow-on Installations for Existing Challenger Operators
BROOMFIELD, CO – October 8, 2010 – Aircell, the world’s leading provider of inflight connectivity, today announced that its AVIATOR 300-based SwiftBroadband solution has received a Supplemental Type Certification (STC) from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for Bombardier Challenger business aircraft.
Christopher Whiteside is President of A J Walter Aviation, the UK-based owner of the Challenger 604 used as the certification platform. “We waited a long time to select an Internet system for our aircraft – airborne communications are notoriously confusing and we wanted to make the right decision,” commented Mr. Whiteside. “Aircell’s SwiftBroadband system has transformed the way we conduct business in flight. We can now use our BlackBerrys, laptops and iPads anywhere in the cabin over the Wi-Fi link. It maximizes my time en route because I can receive and send e-mail and stay in contact.
“The system couldn’t be simpler to use. When I enter the aircraft, my phone automatically connects to the aircraft’s ‘hotspot’ and that’s it. The installation and certification process went very smoothly and aircraft downtime was just two weeks. Compared to earlier technologies, our SwiftBroadband system is faster, easier and all together less expensive. It has completely changed the travel experience and I couldn’t work effectively without it,” concluded Mr. Whiteside.
Completed by Avionicare Ltd of Essex, UK, the new EASA STC covers Aircell’s AVIATOR 300-based SwiftBroadband equipment package, including Wi-Fi service and a fuselage-mounted Intermediate-Gain Antenna (IGA). The STC is valid for all Bombardier Challenger models, including the CL-600, CL-601, CL-604 and CL-605. Aircell’s SwiftBroadband solutions are powered by Thrane & Thrane.
John Wade, Aircell’s Executive Vice President and General Manager, said, “Aircell’s SwiftBroadband solution is a perfect fit for operators that require affordable, global connectivity services. We’re pleased to see it being adopted by Challenger operators in the European community.”
The SwiftBroadband certification package is now being offered to other installation facilities for a nominal fee, reducing the time and expense required for follow-on installations. “For operators looking to increase the productivity of their Challenger by adding e-mail and light Internet services, this new STC reduces their required investment significantly,” said Peter Harland, Managing Director of Avionicare, Ltd.
For more information about Aircell’s SwiftBroadband solutions or the new Challenger STC, operators and dealers should contact Jean-Luc Rosenfeld, Aircell’s European Sales Manager, at +41 (32) 841 2838 or jlucrosenfeld@aircell.com.
Through a comprehensive product portfolio, Aircell offers one of the industry’s largest selections of network services – including Iridium Satellite, Inmarsat SwiftBroadband and Gogo Biz™ Inflight Internet. These services span multiple technologies, including air-to-ground, low-earth orbit satellite and geostationary satellite. All Aircell products are available through the Company’s worldwide dealer and distributor network.
Singapore’s national carrier will be the first Asian based airline to offer their passengers the complete range of inflight connectivity solutions
Geneva, Switzerland, 5 October 2010 – Customers travelling on Singapore Airlines flights will soon be able to stay connected at all times, even at 35,000 feet with OnAir’s inflight connectivity services based on Inmarsat’s SwiftBroadband.
The multi-million-dollar collaboration with OnAir includes a full suite of onboard communication offerings, providing the Airline’s customers with access to Wi-Fi Internet and mobile telephony services. The mobile telephony services will enable customers to send and receive SMS text messages with their GSM-compatible mobile phones, send and receive email messages easily on Smartphones and Blackberry devices, and make and receive voice calls[1].
With plans to roll out the services from as early as the first half of 2011, Singapore Airlines will be the first major airline in Asia to launch a full suite of inflight connectivity services, following their tradition as leader in innovative passengers’ services. These will be introduced progressively on flights operated by the Airline’s Airbus A380, Airbus A340-500 and Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.
“Singapore Airlines was in fact one of the pioneers to introduce Internet connectivity on board its Boeing 747-400 aircraft in 2005. Today, with the increasing importance of staying connected, and the more affordable charges made possible by the higher usage and more advanced technology, we are now fitting all our long-range aircraft with the full suite of telephony and Internet features so that our customers can stay connected. Unlike the earlier trial introduction of an Internet service, this suite of features is for full implementation and we are pleased to offer this as an added choice to our inflight programme,” said Singapore Airlines’ Senior Vice President Product & Services, Mr Yap Kim Wah.
“The environment that our customers have gotten used to on the ground can soon be replicated in the air, when they fly with Singapore Airlines on aircraft fitted with this new connectivity platform. Travelling on business or pleasure, they are just a click or an SMS away, with access to live information, social networking and news updates, as well as inflight shopping.”
“We are absolutely delighted to have come to an agreement today with an airline of the stature and reputation of Singapore Airlines. The agreement is extremely significant. It sends a strong signal to the industry that inflight passenger communications has come of age – and is a must-have for airlines looking to remain competitive in the future,” said Ian Dawkins, CEO of OnAir.
Singapore Airlines’ connectivity partner OnAir has roaming agreements with about 200 mobile network operators globally, including the three main operators in Singapore.
Customers who use the mobile telephony services will see their usage reflected in the monthly bills from their home mobile phone operator where international GSM roaming rates apply. For Internet access, customers can sign up for an access package upon logging in to the system. Details of the charges will be announced closer to the launch.