Boeing has signed a technical agreement with telecoms firm Viasat that initiates a plan to offer hi-speed wifi as a factory option on new aircraft.
Viasat says its in-flight internet speeds are “typically 8-10 times faster” than other onboard wifi systems, and that the plan will save airlines the cost of taking their aircraft out of commission to retrofit wifi equipment.
Boeing’s network systems chief engineer, John Craig, said following this agreement “we now look to add ViaSat airborne terminals to our line-fit factory options. This will give Boeing’s commercial airline customers a new cost- and time-effective high-bandwidth connectivity choice for their airplanes.”
Seattle-based Boeing has more than 10,000 commercial aircraft in service, and 5,500 on its order books.