Flying on transatlantic routes will become a new experience, according to Inmarsat, a UK-based company that provides a global mobile satellite communications services, as it enters into a partnership with Honeywell Aerospace, a US-based company involved in avionics, engines, systems and service solutions.
The partnership will be offering new and faster In-Flight Connectivity for passenger laptops, tablets and smart phone devices, providing a faster bandwidth for social media interactions, video conferencing, and multi-media presentations shown in-flight.
Honeywell will be developing and distributing the onboard hardware for faster Internet connectivity, to be connected using Inmarsat’s Global Xpress network. Honeywell will generate around $2.8 billion in sales from the hardware, customer service, and maintenance services offered under the partnership.
Inmarsat managing director for Global Xpress, Leo Mondale, said, ‘Global Xpress will be the world’s first global Ka-band service for aviation customers and will raise the bar for in-flight connectivity. Honeywell is the most qualified and credible technology partner in their field, and has put forward a superb technical solution for the Global Xpress aviation user terminal. Building on its truly global presence, which today supports a broad portfolio of aviation products and services, Honeywell will offer world class customer service, support, and maintenance for the Global Xpress connectivity products worldwide.’
Demand for data traffic is expected to be a growth phenomenon due to increased usage of smart phones and tablets. By 2016, an estimate says, around 71 percent of all mobile traffic will consist of watching videos. Inmarsat is hoping that its new technology will become the system of choice to propel new age communications on to the Internet.
