Rockwell Collins (booth 266) today revealed further details of the in-flight TV service to be supplied through its eXchange satellite broadband system.
Based on the Connexion by Boeing system developed for airlines, eXchange is due to be introduced in the first quarter of next year to provide business aircraft operators with data connectivity at speeds of up to 5Mbit/sec to the aircraft. Starting in the second quarter of 2006, it will also support live television, streamed to the aircraft over the datalink.
Existing in-flight TV services like Rockwell Collins’ own Tailwind are available only over land masses served by the direct-broadcast TV operators. The eXchange service will be the first in the world to provide the business jet market with live television in oceanic airspace. Connexion by Boeing already offers a similar service to air transport; this summer Singapore Airlines became the first carrier to introduce it.
eXchange TV will provide up to four channels of news, sport and financial information from providers such as MSNBC, CNBC, BBC World, EuroNews and EuroSportNews. The service will share the eXchange bandwidth with the data capability, allowing passengers to send email or access the internet at the same time.
On the aircraft the eXchange hardware, now being flight tested in a Bombardier Global 5000, will integrate with Rockwell Collins’ Airshow 21 cabin network. Apart from live TV, applications include internet and corporate virtual private network access, two-way email with large attachments, and access to information and entertainment from the established Airshow Network. Over the next 18 months geographical coverage is due to expand to most of the northern hemisphere.
Based on the Connexion by Boeing system developed for airlines, eXchange is due to be introduced in the first quarter of next year to provide business aircraft operators with data connectivity at speeds of up to 5Mbit/sec to the aircraft. Starting in the second quarter of 2006, it will also support live television, streamed to the aircraft over the datalink.
Existing in-flight TV services like Rockwell Collins’ own Tailwind are available only over land masses served by the direct-broadcast TV operators. The eXchange service will be the first in the world to provide the business jet market with live television in oceanic airspace. Connexion by Boeing already offers a similar service to air transport; this summer Singapore Airlines became the first carrier to introduce it.
eXchange TV will provide up to four channels of news, sport and financial information from providers such as MSNBC, CNBC, BBC World, EuroNews and EuroSportNews. The service will share the eXchange bandwidth with the data capability, allowing passengers to send email or access the internet at the same time.
On the aircraft the eXchange hardware, now being flight tested in a Bombardier Global 5000, will integrate with Rockwell Collins’ Airshow 21 cabin network. Apart from live TV, applications include internet and corporate virtual private network access, two-way email with large attachments, and access to information and entertainment from the established Airshow Network. Over the next 18 months geographical coverage is due to expand to most of the northern hemisphere.
Source: Flight Daily News
