Alaska Airlines is to install LiveTV's satellite broadcast service on its first Boeing 737 early next year. Meanwhile, the Thomson-CSF Sextant In-Flight Systems/Harris joint venture will add a live radio service and high-speed wireless connection to its live television product next year.
Alaska Airlines is planning to trial the system initially on a Boeing 737-400, and will later roll out the service across its 737 fleet, pending successful tests, says Andre de Greef, LiveTV president.
The satellite broadcast service is flying in the USA on 14 aircraft - JetBlue Airways Airbus A320s and Legend Airlines McDonnell Douglas DC-9s. JetBlue is achieving 99.9% availability on the 24-channel system and between 80-90% of passengers are watching the service, programming for which is provided by DirecTV, says de Greef.
LiveTV's Wireless Link, which will be added in the first quarter, will connect the system to LiveTV's control centre, making the aircraft a node on a wireless network, allowing maintenance of the entertainment system, content updates, passenger and gate information, to be downloaded and uploaded when the aircraft is on the ground. The system comprises an 4MCU avionics box and an antenna.
LiveTV will add AirRadio services via a link up with multi-channel satellite radio programme provider XM Satellite Radio in the second quarter, providing up to 100 radio channels.
Source: Flight International
