Panasonic May Relaunch In-flight Broadband

Glenn Fleishman writes "Panasonic's avionics division may relaunch Connexion by Boeing by using similar technology that's better, cheaper, and lighter. The company said today that they were looking to get airlines to commit to 500 planes within 60 days, and already had 150 aircraft committed. They'd still use Ku band, but have a cheaper and smaller set of leases. Connexion had at least $120m in yearly fixed expenses, a large part of which was transponder licenses. The new service would provide 12 Mbps down and 3 Mbps (versus Connexion's 5 Mbps/1 Mbps), and be priced conceivably as low as $10 per session wholesale, with airlines choosing to not mark up rates. With that higher rate, even with latency, in-flight VoIP seems more achievable at a reasonable cost, although some airlines may choose to block VoIP services. I reported for The Economist magazine last week about mobile phones in flight (services coming in Europe in 2007). Three U.S. airlines told me that American passengers have very low interest or negative interest in allowing any voice (cell or otherwise) during flights. Europeans, with shorter flights and lower expectations of privacy perhaps, are more open to it." We covered the story back when Boeing decided to scrap Connexion.

Re:What I do care about...

[QuantumG]

You already can make calls on international flights, even in cattle class. Just swipe your credit card and call.

Americans don't like cell phones?

[Archon-X]

I've travelled frequently - and here's my synopsis of phone useage and planes - if I may:

Australia: Phones are off all the way. When disembarking up the walkway, you'll start to hear SMS messages come in.
Hong-Kong: Touchdown, SMSs are in. Calls being made while disembarking.
USA: Calls made until the plane taxis, calls made the instant the plane lands.
Europe [Denmark, France]: SMS on disembark
UK: SMS the instant the plane hits
Japan: Not a peep. Those guys actually know how to use the vibrate setting.

Of course the above is far from conclusive - but everytime I travel to the US I am still amazed how attached Americans are to their last desperate phone call before the phone takes off..

Re:Inconceivable

[Rob Kaper]

Yes, it is. Most European "budget" airliners have won amazing marketshares by doing just that: no more drinks etcetera free-of-charge (and where possibly/feasible using cheap airports instead of the main ones). And what they charge are normal commercial rates for public places. Actually, by the gallon beer is cheaper on a flight than in some of the clubs I visit.