Easier licensing requirements for in-flight service providers courtesy FCC

Thanks to a recent decision by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC,) in-flight satellite broadband Internet service providers will now have an easier time to accomplish their licensing requirements.

The FCC issued new in-flight regulations that identified two mobile applications to be licensed applications of fixed-satellite service. The applications are Earth Stations Aboard Aircraft and vehicle-mounted earth stations that deliver satellite communications to airborne and terrestrial vehicles.

The new regulations will make it faster for the FCC to process applications by up to 50 percent faster. Previously, the FCC had issued authorizations for companies to offer such services on an ad hoc basis.

The regulations will also improve competition amongst in-flight service providers, who provide satellite broadband and other services to passengers and crew alike.

For the FCC, the in-flight market was a big part of the mobile telecommunications market in the United States as it promoted the widespread availability of Internet access to aircraft passengers.

In-flight communications regulation is the purview of the FCC and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

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Honywell, Thales integrating Global Xpress systems for in-flight Internet

Honeywell and Thales Alenia Space issued a joint announcement on September 21 regarding their newly-formed partnership. Honeywell will integrate the avionics and satellite antenna systems of its Inmarsat Global Xpress service with Thales’ cabin network solutions to create a Ka-band in-flight connectivity service.

Honeywell and Thales will leverage the Ka-band broadband capacity of Global Express to offer in-flight connectivity bandwidth of up to four times greater than the current standard. The Inmarsat satellite Internet service will allow for media-rich applications such as virtual office capability, video conferencing, real-time satellite TV channel viewing, and social media connectivity. It will also reportedly be more cost-effective than competitors' in-flight Internet services.

The three Global Xpress Ka-band satellites are currently being built at aerospace company Boeing's facilities in El Segundo, California. The first satellite has been scheduled for a 2013 launch.