ONBOARD ENTERTAINMENT
onboard within the next two to five years. It is widely anticipated that onboard wifi will quickly become the standard, not the exception, across this global industry. Why invest now, not later? Simply put, the AeroFi system has been developed with ‘future-proofing’ in mind. Our standalone ‘Streaming IFE’ solution uses today’s latest technology and can already handle streaming movies to every seat using today’s wireless 802.11n protocols. As we update our software at least annually to reflect the latest device OS developments and user-interface trends, the system will be as relevant and capable in, say, five or 10 years, without the need for any further hardware upgrades. That said, the inevitable benefits of improving technology – faster processors, faster connectivity, bigger and cheaper storage – can be deployed by a relatively simple and low cost hot-swap of a line-
Left and above: Passengers use their own mobile devices; AeroFi has EFB and EPOS capability
replaceable unit – either a new server or a new access point.
Critical to our most recent airline fleet deployment was the capability for the AeroFi system to support evolving lower cost inflight connectivity options, enabling other airline programmes (such as crew
"Over 70 per cent of flyers carry a smartphone and over the last two years smartphone usage per day has doubled"
concierge, EPOS and EFB) to benefit from the installed onboard wireless network. Selecting hardware from providers with a heritage in delivering innovation and clear product development strategies that become the next generation underpins our ability to deliver on that requirement.
What do you see as the major issues facing the IFEC industry in the next five years? The IFEC industry is experiencing another period of dynamic change. Faster home broadband, myriad download and travel concierge services, cheaper and better devices, clearly question the economics of installing expensive embedded plain-vanilla IFE systems. The cost of providing inflight internet connectivity, while falling, still remains too high for many airlines to make the business case. Passengers are consuming media and information on multiple devices and on more diverse device types and sequentially across devices, which widens the expectation gap between the on-ground experience and what traditional IFE can offer in the air.
This gives an opportunity for new suppliers to emerge which can disrupt the market and help airlines leverage the vast knowledge base they have. Now they can offer their passengers products and services that are timely and relevant, maximising that
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