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Mobile Internet, The, June, 2004

Boeing and Lufthansa's FlyNet broadband service goes live in April

After a year of trials and marketing, Lufthansa will put Boeing's Connexion Internet service into revenue operations next month on a 747-400 flight using the first wireless antenna certified for commercial use.

The German carrier was the first to test Boeing's high-speed broadband service last year and found solid passenger interest among laptop and hand-held users. Lufthansa, like other airlines, has formed a partnership with Connexion and is marketing their service as FlyNet. They have not set a pricing schedule yet, but it is expected to be $20-$30 for a full international flight leg. A charge-by-time-used option also is likely.

Connexion is being offered with RJ-45 Ethernet or telephone, an advantage for airlines because it doesn't require jacks at each seat. But users need a wireless laptop receiver, which not all passengers will have. Boeing's Connections is aligned with Intel's Centrino wireless system.

Lufthansa Technik has installed a 102X47-inch parabolic antenna developed by Mitsubishi Electric (Melco) on the first in-service aircraft. The Melco unit will permit transmissions as high as 75 degrees N/S Latitude, pushing service availability from satellite Internet transmissions into the polar regions, a distinct advantage on transpacific and transatlantic crossings. The proving flights from January to April 2003 used a test antenna that could not send/receive beyond 60 degrees N. latitude, prompting Lufthansa to limit its application to a Frankfurt to Washington route that stayed below 60 degrees.

The new antenna rises 30cm above the surface of the aircraft, which does not present bird-strike issues on a 747, according to FlyNet Technical Director Peter Lewalter. Germany's LBA is the first aviation authority to certify the wireless LAN. Lufthansa Technik has determined that the antenna should be installed at Door 3 on airbus A330/A340 aircraft, which is far enough aft of the boundary layer to minimize potential damage from a bird strike.

In all, Lufthansa will install Connexion on its complete long-haul fleet of 80 aircraft, including 747-400s, A330s, and A340s, by the spring of 2006. Japan Airlines, All Nippon Airways, China Airlines, and Singapore Airlines have committed to Connexion, and Korean Air is in discussions. SAS Scandinavian Airlines and Kingdom Holding Co. of Saudi Arabia also are in line to begin Connexion services.

Wireless applications are spreading faster in many Asian nations than elsewhere. In Singapore, for instance, the government says there's no place where wireless connections are not possible, including Changi Airport. That's exactly the kind of user atmosphere Boeing wants for Connexion; use the Internet in the airport lounge and then reconnect in-flight as soon as the takeoff is complete. Germany doesn't have a wireless user profile that widespread, but Lufthansa has brought wireless connectivity to its airport lounges.