Honeywell Aerospance to develop hardware for AT&T’s in-flight connectivity services

AT&T has entered into a pact Honeywell Aerospace develop hardware for the telecom giant's in-flight connectivity services to provide faster Wi-Fi for those on commercial airlines and business jets.

With 4G LTE, passengers would be able to get faster ground-to-air speeds, that are expected to be made available at the end of 2015. This would also mean better connections for flight crew communications.

AT&T said yesterday that it would develop the air-to-ground network that would allow internet browsing and onboard entertainment. AT&T would emerge as the main competitor to GoGo, which already provides in-flight internet access, voice calls, and text messaging but only runs on 3G speeds.

In a press release AT&T's chief strategy officer John Stankey said, ''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.''

With the growing importance of technology globally, companies are looking for new ways to keep customers connected at all times. The Federal Aviation Administration is also allowing devices to stay on during flights, thanks to the huge demand.

The AT&T-Honeywell partnership comes at a time when several in-flight internet options which are already being rolled out; most of which are based on Ka band or Ku band satellite spectrum.

The high-speed, in-flight internet service that AT&T aims to offer would use the company's 4G LTE network, together with Honeywell systems and hardware. The service would offer in-flight broadband access for business, commercial and general aviation passengers, as also for airlines seeking more connectivity onboard their planes.

Honeywell meanwhile expects to generate $1 billion in revenue from the deal. The two companies had already signed a letter of intent and are likely to sign a formal contract shortly.

Meanwhile, AT&T said in a press release, ",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 optimising, 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."