Connexion By Boeing, Intel Efforts Boost Hotspots In The Sky

August 1, 2005

Connexion by Boeing, a business unit of The Boeing Company, and Intel® Corporation announced an agreement to enhance and promote high-speed, in-flight wireless Internet service. As part of the agreement, the companies have successfully completed compatibility testing with common Intel® Centrino™ mobile technology-based laptop configurations, making Connexion by BoeingSM the first in-flight Internet service to be verified through Intel's Wireless Verification Program.

Connexion by Boeing is the only high-speed wireless Internet, data and entertainment connectivity service for commercial airlines and their passengers as well as for operators of private and government executive jets.

Through the Wireless Verification Program, Intel works with wireless service providers to identify and minimize issues related to quality of service, site coverage and down-time that may negatively impact the end-user experience. To date, the program has verified 103 service providers that operate more than 70,000 hotspots worldwide.

"Intel and Connexion by Boeing have collaborated extensively to test the high-speed, in-flight Wi-Fi service, which provides a secure and reliable service for travelers who want new choices for how they spend their time in-flight," said Keith Kressin, director of marketing for Intel's Mobile Platforms Group. "With our shared focus on enhancing the end-user experience, Intel and Connexion by Boeing are opening up a whole new world of in-flight entertainment, communication and productivity."

"By verifying Connexion's service compatibility with Intel Centrino mobile technology and devices, we help ensure that air passengers have a consistent, high quality, in-flight Wi-Fi experience as they have come to expect and enjoy on the ground - whether they are surfing the World Wide Web, watching live global television or connecting to a corporate VPN," said David Friedman, vice president of marketing and direct sales, Connexion by Boeing.

Connexion by Boeing and Intel will also work with customer airlines to increase awareness, trial and adoption of in-flight Internet access through co-branding, promotions and educational efforts targeted at both business and leisure travelers. Connexion by Boeing service is available today on 70 planes and more than 100 daily routes worldwide on Lufthansa Airlines, Scandinavian Airlines, Japan Airlines, ANA, Singapore Airlines and China Airlines. In addition, Austrian Airlines, Korean Air, El Al, Asiana and Etihad will soon begin offering the high-speed service on their long-range aircraft.