AT&T* today announced plans to launch a high-speed 4G LTE-based in-flight
connectivity service for airlines and passengers in commercial, business and
general aviation. The service, planned to be available as soon as late 2015,
will be capable of providing in-flight broadband for customers including fast,
reliable Wi-Fi and onboard entertainment. Following launch, aviation customers
can also expect improved connectivity solutions such as cockpit
communications, maintenance operations and crew services.
To deliver this new service, AT&T plans to build an innovative air-to-ground
network in the continental United States, based on global 4G LTE standards, to
provide fast speeds and efficient utilization of spectrum already owned by
AT&T. As the architect and operator of the nation's most reliable 4G LTE
network**, AT&T has the expertise, spectrum and financial strength to
transform airborne connectivity.
“Everyone wants access to high-speed, reliable mobile Internet wherever they
are, including at 35,000 feet,” said John Stankey, Chief Strategy Officer at
AT&T. “We are building on AT&T's significant strengths to develop in-flight
connectivity technology unlike any other that exists today, based on 4G LTE
standards. We believe this will enable airlines and passengers to benefit from
reliable high speeds and a better experience. We expect this service to
transform connectivity in the aviation industry – we are truly mobilizing the
sky.”
Honeywell, an aerospace industry leader, recently issued its Wireless
Connectivity Survey indicating that in-flight Wi-Fi currently causes
frustrations for nearly nine in 10 users worldwide, most often due to
inconsistent or slow connections. AT&T plans to work with Honeywell to provide
hardware and service capabilities to deliver the in-flight connectivity
solution. Along with Honeywell's expertise, AT&T's technical strength and
scale in building networks and managing their evolutions provide a unique
opportunity to change the way passengers and airlines connect to the mobile
Internet. With AT&T's planned new network, passengers would gain the
reliability they have long hoped for in the sky – for browsing the Internet,
checking email, keeping in touch with friends and family through social
networking and messaging services, and increasing business productivity.
AT&T's in-flight connectivity also offers the potential for improved
communications between the plane and the ground through transmission of
real-time aircraft data for optimizing, monitoring and evolving airlines'
operations.
In-flight connectivity is a natural fit for AT&T, which over the past six
years (2008 to 2013) has invested more than $140 billion into its wireless and
wireline networks, when you combine capital investment and acquisitions of
spectrum and wireless operations, and already operates the nation's most
reliable 4G LTE network. AT&T has more than 116 million wireless subscribers,
more than 16.5 million total broadband subscribers and serves many of the
world's largest corporations, including all of the Fortune 1000. AT&T is a
leader in connected devices and continues to win awards for its wireless and
wireline services, while also continuing to innovate with its recent launches
of its Connected Car platform and Drive Studio, and introduction of AT&T
U-verse^® with GigaPower^SM in select U.S. cities.
AT&T sees an opportunity to deliver an innovative and high-performing
in-flight connectivity and entertainment service, and will build on existing
relationships within the aviation industry to deliver a better customer
experience than what is available from others today. AT&T plans for its
in-flight connectivity service to support both business aviation and
commercial airline customers from day one of the service launch. AT&T will
provide information on pricing and availability prior to launch.
AT&T does not expect additional capital expenditures required for this
initiative to be material, nor will it have any impact on the company's
previously-announced financial guidance.
*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and
affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.
**Reliability claim based on data transfer completion rates on nationwide 4G
LTE networks. 4G LTE availability varies.
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