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From the middle of this year, Lufthansa's
customers will once again be able to enjoy the full freedom to
communicate via the Internet above the clouds as the airline
relaunches FlyNet, its on-board broadband Internet service. In
addition, the new service will permit inflight data transfer over
standard GSM/GPRS mobile networks.
Thanks to FlyNet, Lufthansa passengers will soon
not only have WLAN Internet access but will also be able to send
SMS messages by mobile phone and transfer data via smart phones
such as PDA, iPhone or BlackBerry devices. Together with its new
business partner Panasonic, Lufthansa aims to equip a major part
of its long-range fleet with FlyNet within the first year of
operation.
"In terms of
communications, Lufthansa customers can look forward to a top-tier inflight service," said Lufthansa CEO and Chairman Wolfgang
Mayrhuber. "On long-haul routes, we offer business travellers, in
particular, a range of communications options on a par with those
available at powerful hotspots or upmarket hotels."
Lufthansa is
deliberately focusing on high bandwidth as the main requirement
for the unrestricted use of such services as web surfing, email/file transfer including attachments and the Virtual Private
Network (VPN). In addition, only wide bandwidth will enable
potential future operational applications such as telemedicine for
the transmission of a patient's vital parameters to a ground
station.
FlyNet is impressively user-friendly. Passengers with
a WLAN or GSM/GPRS-compatible device can log on from any point in
the aircraft cabin, just like at any public hotspot. Depending on
the device they are using (i.e. a laptop, mobile phone or a smart
phone), passengers can choose to be billed via a mobile service
provider or pay by credit card.
Various different price models are
planned – ranging from a rate by the hour to a monthly flat rate.
Passengers should also be able to redeem Miles & More award miles
for the use of WLAN Internet connections. At press time, the exact price for
specific products had not yet been confirmed. The service
will gradually become available on all Lufthansa's long-haul
flights worldwide.
With this new project, Lufthansa is
building on its positive experience with Lufthansa FlyNet. Between May 2004
until the end of 2006, when the service was withdrawn by
Lufthansa's then partner Connexion by Boeing, broadband Internet
connectivity via WLAN gained in popularity and the technology
proved highly reliable. Subsequently, 69 of Lufthansa's long-range
aircraft were equipped with FlyNet, making the Lufthansa fleet the
largest Internet-enabled fleet in the world, with about 30,000
users per month.
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