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Cathay Pacific clears in-flight broadband for take-off

Anita Lam

Cathay Pacific and Dragonair will join the in-flight broadband revolution when wireless internet, cellphone and live television services become available on their combined fleet of 158 aircraft two years from now.

Mobile phone and BlackBerry data services would be charged similar to international roaming, Cathay Pacific said. Various fee packages available by the hour or unlimited usage for an entire flight would be offered to internet users.

The rates will be different among regional and long-haul flights but will be similar to charges for Wi-fi access at hotels and airports.

The airlines will use Panasonic Avionics' eXConnect system, which can deliver a 50Mbps internet stream to aircraft. Its eXPhone service, for example, allows passengers to use their mobile phones, smart phones and BlackBerry to make voice calls, send text messages and stream content wirelessly on board.

The satellite link would also carry a handful of live television stations and provide some pay-per-view programming.

Cathay Pacific and its wholly owned subsidiary, Dragonair, would be the first in Asia to use the Panasonic service, which is technically more sophisticated than systems used by European and American airlines. It uses a network of satellites to maintain a signal even while aircraft are flying over oceans.

Global research company In-Stat said last week that connecting fees would drop by some 24 per cent in the next four years due to increased usage.

In-Stat expects the number of planes installed with Wi-fi facilities to grow to some 2,000 by the end of this year, generating revenue of about US$95 million.

Some travellers expressed concern online that the latest features could turn trips into a nightmare if you happened to sit next to a noisy passenger.

'It will be like the MTR only I am going to be stuck on a flight for much longer,' one traveller said.

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