Just over a year ago, in March 2017the IAG signed with Inmarsat a contract to offer broadband connectivity on board the airline group's fleet. Now it's the turn of the French market to embark on the road to enhanced connectivity: the Autorité de Régulation des Communications Électroniques et des Postes (ARCEP), has just authorised Inmarsat to use terrestrial stations on French territory. This is one of the key strengths of this new offering: coupling in-flight Internet via satellite with a terrestrial network of antennas. Or three hundred stations distributed in all European Union countries. This combination enables Inmarsat to increase the Inmarsat S-Band satellite capacity launched in June 2017. It also promotes economic viability of the project for airlines.
wifi access with unprecedented reliability and speed
The programme's French partner, TDF, joins the likes of Thales, Nokiaand Deutsche Telekom. " EAN will provide European airline passengers with wifi access of unprecedented reliability and speed "assures Philip Balaam, Chairman of Inmarsat Aviation. " The aim is to transform the passenger experience and revolutionising the business model short-haul services by unlocking new ancillary revenue streams for airlines - advertising, sponsorship, e-commerce offers and not least increased passenger loyalty. The provision of in-flight connectivity is a crucial issue for airlines, and we are convinced that our technology will perfectly meet the needs of passengers, particularly at European level. ".
Coincidence of timing, BCD Travel publishes the 17 April a study on in-flight connectivity. The report on the survey carried out by the business travel agency notes that " Using Wi-Fi in flight could pose major security risks for businesses ". According to Frank SchuchardInformation Security Officer at BCD Travel. Unaware of the major risks that an open wireless network can pose to the company employing them, they expose themselves to viruses and malware that can be introduced into the network and spread to other users. The company risks losing personal and confidential information. Further attacks on systems and data can follow the initial hacking, leading to sabotage and reputational damage. ". BCD Travel therefore lists a number of recommendations for combining connectivity and security: installation of antivirus software and a firewall, a secure VPN connection, updated devices and even the use of encryption technologies.
