Boeing to offer roaming via in-flight WLANs

Connexion to connect to other WISPs

By Tony Smith • Get more from this author

Posted in Wireless, 16th March 2004 17:03 GMT

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Deutsche Telekom's T-Systems subsidiary and Boeing are to seek ways in which the aircraft maker's in-flight WLAN service, Connexion, can be tied in to T-Systems' wireless ISP-oriented roaming enablement platform.

Connexion is all about offering passengers wireless Internet access during flights. T-Systems customers include WISPs who use the company's WLAN Roaming Platform to allow their own customers to use other providers' networks. Essentially, a deal between Boeing and T-Systems would allow WISP partners' customers to use Connexion without a separate access package.

T-Systems also sells to carriers and corporates who need their own IT and telecoms infrastructure but don't want to implement it themselves. They, in turn, may offer roaming on Connexion-enabled flights to their employees and third-parties, such as smaller WISPs.

Connexion is currently offered by a small number of Lufthansa and British Airways flights between Europe and the US. This year, further flights from these carriers are expected to be connected, as will flights run by All Nippon Airways (ANA), Japan Airlines (JAL), Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS), Singapore Airlines and others. ®

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