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One-Box-Wonder AeroBTS+ - the future of inflight entertainment and connectivity?
IFEC is now the accepted acronym for Inflight Entertainment and Connectivity. However, it has been just an acronym until now. From a passenger’s perspective, some airlines already provide integrated IFEC services, but true integration will only come with the introduction of IFEC technology. It will provide both passengers and crew with access to a wide and growing variety of applications using their own devices. Commercial airlines, as well as business jet operators, will be able to provide mobile phone and WiFi services across entire fleets, as well as wireless Video/Audio on demand and other cabin services to passengers’ own devices. For the first time, there will be true convergence of IFE and Connectivity.
And the platform will be used for non-flight-critical crew applications, such as telemedicine, food and beverage ordering and crew rostering details, including the real-time processing of credit card payments. It already exists: TriaGnoSys’ AeroBTS+. It is the perfect solution for any aircraft that does not have an embedded IFE system.
What is AeroBTS+? Most importantly, it is one box, incorporating the server, GSM base station transceiver and controller, an Ethernet 5-port switch and storage for up to 512GB of IFE content. It is small and lightweight, at only 5kg, it has multiple mounting options and its typical power consumption is only 30 Watts, meaning it can afford to rely on passive cooling. It can be fitted anywhere in an aircraft, in any position and has no scheduled maintenance requirements. The jewel in the crown is GSMConneX, the world leading GSM turnkey solution running on the AeroBTS+. In addition there is VoCeM, satellite communications software which delivers compression gains of 500 percent over the satellite link, in turn enabling a very low bit rate. This minimises the
cost of the satellite usage while the intelligent software in AeroBTS+ also cuts out any redundant satellite airtime by only establishing the link to send and receive data. This highly efficient traffic management not only ensures a low operational cost, but it generates greater bandwidth which can be used to provide higher access speed using EDGE technology that guarantees passengers the same high-speed browsing experience they are accustomed to. For WLAN data, it uses the latest streaming technology over 802.11n wireless network for both wireless Internet access and IFE content distribution, further contributing to the available data rate. And the highly intuitive user interface is designed for the iGeneration.
Why is it important? People love mobiles. The proliferation of mobile devices – penetration is at or over 100 percent in much of the developed world – means people are used to being able to stay in touch all the time, by phone, email, and text message. And they are used to being in control of the content they consume, be it films, music, books, magazine or the Internet. The concept of how airlines and aircraft operators deliver content, therefore, needs to change. Not only does it need to be highly versatile but also there is no reason why IFEC shouldn’t be available on narrow-bodied aircraft. The AeroBTS+ platform is the future, now. It can be used to
provide passengers with the services they want, in the way they want them. It caters for the convergence between IFE and connectivity by, for example enabling the real-time updating of the news and weather elements of the IFE content. The connectivity and IFE streaming applications currently deployed mirror those that are used the most widely on the ground. As terrestrial applications change and develop, so the AeroBTS+ platform can be used to support them: it is thoroughly future-proofed.
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