Inmarsat is investing in a new system which could improve Wi-Fi connectivity on aircrafts travelling across Europe.
According to bbc.co.uk, the satellite telecommunications company plans to get aircrafts online by using cellphone towers on the ground, which will be pointing skywards. An S-band satellite will then augment the system to make sure that passengers have an uninterrupted Wi-Fi experience.
The system is very similar to GoGo’s in the US, which first launched back in 2008 and allows passengers aboard jet liners to get online. Inmarsat is partnering up with GoGo so that it can create its very own air-to-ground system. At the moment, British Airways is in talks with Inmarsat to become a launch customer.
Rupert Pearce, Inmarsat’s CEO, comments that a number of European airlines are in support of the firm’s vision.
“We believe that the same in-flight connectivity opportunity exists in Europe and that, with the support of EU telecoms regulators, Inmarsat can rapidly bring to market unique, high speed aviation passenger connectivity services to meet this market demand on an EU-wide basis,” he explains, reports cityam.com.
Inmarsat, which is based in London, England, recently helped in the search for the missing Malaysian jet MH370 and made a name for itself worldwide. There are currently no details as to when their new service will be rolled out.
