IP: connectivity in the air

[Dave Farber <farber () cis upenn edu>]

> From http://www.ecommercetimes.com/news/articles2000/000428-2.shtml
>
> Six Major Airlines To Form B2B Exchange
> By Paul A. Greenberg
> E-Commerce Times
> April 28, 2000
>
> <snip>
>
> Boeing's High Wire Act
>
> In related news, aerospace giant Boeing Co. revealed plans Thursday to
> provide airline passengers access to the Internet via a high-speed,
> satellite-based communications network.
>
> Boeing will partner with CNN, CNBC, Mitsubishi Electric Corp. and Loral
> Skynet to establish the new service, called Connexion. The service will
> initially cost consumers roughly the same amount as a cellular telephone call.
>
> Installations will begin early next year, with the service being offered
> first to North American airline customers. By late 2003, Boeing will extend
> the service to Europe, over the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and eventually
> in Asia.
>
> Tentative plans call for every seat on some planes to include a data port.
> Passengers will be able to access the Internet via their own laptop 
> computers.