Dec, 2001 : Boeing Receives FCC License for Connexion Service

📅 December 31, 2001 - The Boeing Company (boeing.com) has been granted a licenseby the Federal Communications Commission (fcc.gov) that will enablepassengers on airplanes to transmit and receive broadband data in flight,using its Connexion by Boeing service.

The two-way license is the first of its kind in the broadband satelliteservices industry, enabling operators of commercial airliners and executivejets, such as private and government aircraft, to offer realtime, high-speedInternet and intranet access, television and e-mail above U.S. territory andwaters.
"This license signals a new era for in-flight connectivity and furtherstrengthens our efforts in the mobile economy," said Scott Carson, presidentof Connexion by Boeing. "For the first time in history, air travelers willbe able to experience in-flight connectivity comparable to the speeds andquality of service they expect on the ground."
The Connexion by Boeing application was subject to stringent review by U.S.government agencies that oversee spectrum usage. Under an unprecedentedflight-test program, Connexion One, a specially equipped Boeing 737,gathered data to demonstrate that the service can operate without causingharmful interference to other spectrum users, in support of ongoing domesticand international regulatory activities.
"The license is the result of an extensive year-long application review andapproval process conducted by the FCC and other U.S. government agencies,"said Karen Gielen, Connexion executive director of international regulatoryaffairs. "This is a tremendous boost for our continued efforts to rolloutthis service in the United States and, ultimately, around the world."
Passengers flying in aircraft soon will be able to choose from a multitudeof personalized services, including Internet and firewall-protected intranetaccess, e-commerce, television and entertainment, transmission of data,shopping and travel and destination information, Boeing says. Airlineoperators also will benefit from in-flight access to aircraft and crew data.Boeing is studying the potential applicability of Connexion's broadbandin-flight data services for aviation security enhancements.
A prototype of the Connexion by Boeing service is currently available to theexecutive services market in the U.S., which includes operators of privateand government aircraft. Connexion also remains on track with Europeancarrier Lufthansa to equip its long-haul fleet beginning with a prototypeinstallation in late 2002 or early 2003. For additional information, see theConnexion Web site at boeing.com/connexion/.