Solutions

OnAir's inflight connectivity solutions allow passengers to make and receive calls, and send and receive SMS messages on their mobile phones. They can also chat, send and receive e-mails and access the web and corporate networks directly from a mobile device or laptop. The combination of Mobile OnAir and Internet OnAir solutions provides long-haul and short-haul passengers with a complete inflight communications experience.

Mobile OnAir

With Mobile OnAir, passengers can use mobile phones and smartphones (e.g. BlackBerry, Apple iPhone, HTC) for voice calls, e-mail, text messaging and Internet access during a flight.

Everything that passengers can do with their phone on the ground is also possible onboard. Passengers can send and receive text (SMS) and multimedia (MMS) messages; send and receive emails; access the Internet; chat over Instant Messaging and check voice mailboxes. With Mobile OnAir passengers can be reached during a flight, on their usual number.

Mobile OnAir manages all active mobile devices onboard, ensuring that they don't interfere with aircraft avionics or ground networks.

As well as sharing revenue from passenger activity, airlines benefit from Mobile OnAir through a unique product differentiator, ancillary revenues, enhanced customer care programmes, cost reductions and greater market differentiation.

Internet OnAir

Internet OnAir allows passengers to work on their laptop computers using a wired or WiFi Internet connection. This solution has been designed for long-haul passengers and takes into account a variety of different language and payment requirements.

Passengers access Internet OnAir by launching their browser as they would in a public hotspot, hotel room or airport lounge. The OnAir home page then guides them through the purchase and connection process.

If passengers have a web-based email account with Hotmail, Yahoo, AOL, or other provider, they can read, send, reply to, and forward messages inflight, from their laptops or from the onboard entertainment system.

The Webmail OnAir service allows passengers to preview their Inbox before deciding to purchase the service at an attractive per-flight price. They can also send & receive attachments for a small additional fee.

For those who enjoy the spontaneity of online Chat, OnAir offers passengers Webchat, enabling them to communicate in real time with friends and colleagues on the ground through AIM (AOL), ICQ, MSN or Yahoo Instant Messaging accounts.

Passengers can access Webchat OnAir via their laptop or the seatback entertainment system onboard aircraft offering the OnAir service. OnAir's low flat rate allows passengers to get as chatty as they like for the entire duration of the flight!

Other key features of Internet OnAir include: Airline branding of the home page; Internet; and corporate network access (VPN); content filtering; a language menu allowing passengers to select one of several languages; payment facilities via major credit cards and airline promotion codes.

Link OnAir

Link OnAir is a managed network service that leverages the OnAir distribution agreement for the Inmarsat SwiftBroadband (SBB) service. It allows airlines to take advantage of the opportunities offered by a 'connected aircraft' and IP-based communications.

In addition to the SBB avionics and corresponding antenna, the by-default assumption is that the service will run on an aircraft equipped with an appropriate platform, including a communications manager that prioritizes the use of the SBB link by the different onboard applications.

The Link OnAir service includes the following:

• Managed SBB communications to and from the aircraft, at competitive price packages;
• 24x7 customer support of managed network; and
• Itemised billing and reporting for all SBB usage, allowing the airline to recharge third-party onboard application providers for their use of the SBB services.