LONDON-Norwegian operator Telenor and U.S. transportation communications provider Arinc Inc. hosted a simulated flight Thursday to demonstrate an onboard aircraft GSM mobile-phone network.
During the event, European journalists placed and received calls from their phones to test the new service, which uses a “picocell” installed on a plane to create a small coverage area in the passenger cabin. The network is linked to the ground via a satellite connection provided by Inmarsat, a U.K. communications company.
The companies said they expect the picocell system to be available to commercial airlines for less than $100,000 per aircraft.
“This system has passed the technology and pricing hurdles,” said Bernt Fanghol, Telenor’s director of program management. “Exactly as shown here, it will fit aboard thousands of today’s passenger jets, and with no additional satellite equipment required because it makes use of the existing Inmarsat technology already found on most long-range aircraft today.”
