Rockwell Collins is launching the world¹s first system to provide live television, recorded video, audio, internet and e-mail services to airline passengers.
Its In Flight Network (IFN) is a joint venture with News Corporation and uses the communications expertise of Globalstar and Qualcomm. IFN, which has a planned phased deployment starting late next year, will be the world¹s first global inflight entertainment network to offer live coverage of news, sports and entertainment events, in addition to recorded audio/video programming and broadband Internet access.
The system will provide low-cost broadband Internet and e-mail services to existing commercial airline fleets. A prototype of the IFN system was flown and successfully operated over parts of North America last month, proving the functionality of the system. Broadband Internet data and entertainment will be transmitted directly to aircraft via geostationary satellites, with the return link carried over the worldwide Globalstar satellite network. The network will also serve as an independent two-way channel for Internet access, e-mail, downloading of data and other applications.
The Globalstar data link will initially operate at speeds in excess of 200 kbps ¡ almost four times faster than a domestic modem. IFN will also support multiple video channels, with programming automatically tailored to the length of flight and specific destinations. IFN affiliate airlines will be able to provide passengers with differentiated, airline-specific, programming options of business and entertainment channels in multiple languages. Web-based video spots and banner ads will also be delivered to PC users on targeted aircraft and airport premises.
The IFN airborne system takes advantage of Rockwell Collins Integrated Information System (I2S). This provides a flexible, PC-like computing capability onboard aircraft and offers airlines a wide range of software applications.
Dave Frankenbach, Rockwell Collins director of product marketing, says: "Our selling point is that we have exclusive rights to use the Globalstar satellite system for aeronautical data services and our solution provides the highest speed internet access, using existing technology."
Frankenbach says that Rockwell Collins has had "very good interest" from airlines and hopes the system will be a crowd puller at Farnborough.
Source: Flight Daily News
