Arinc (stand 6A24) expects to have a launch airline customer for its wi-fi hotspot product Cabin Connect flying before the end of this year.
The company debuted its Inmarsat SwiftBroadband-supported wi-fi solution at the APEX Expo last September and is in talks with potential launch customers. "We expect it to be flying commercially before the end of the year," says Arinc's director, satellite solutions and cabin solutions, Lee Costin, adding a customer announcement is likely in "weeks not months".
Arinc says it has had strong activity in its SwiftBroadband business since Inmarsat appointed it an aero distribution partner. "Last year was our first full year and we've had phenomenal growth," says Costin. Much of the emphasis this year will be on developing commercial air transport business.
Arinc will also look to benefit as Inmarsat rolls out enhancements to its SwiftBroadband service, including multiple voice channels and increasing the data speed from 432kbps to 700kbps. Further ahead this will be followed by Inmarsat's Ka-band Global Xpress system based on the new generation Inmarsat-5 satellites, set for the airline market in 2014.
Costin adds: "We are looking at it [Global Xpress] at the moment, but it's still early days."
Source: Flight Daily News
