Following its publication of the world’s first inflight connectivity (IFC) standard earlier this year, Seamless Air Alliance, a global community of airlines and technology companies working to advance IFC, has announced the completion of an update, named Seamless Release 2.0.
This second release, available to Seamless Air Alliance members, defines the information provided by each network component, enabling suppliers to design and build OpenIFC products using the modular architecture and open interfaces from the initial release. The alliance believes that OpenIFC will become the preferred choice for every airline going forward.
“Seamless Release 2.0 completes the blueprint needed for the industry to scale the deployment of future-proof, OpenIFC systems,” said Jack Mandala, CEO of Seamless Air Alliance. “This breakthrough will allow airlines to purchase best-of-breed components in a multi-vendor ecosystem, improving the efficiency of deploying, operating and maintaining inflight systems – which is especially important as recent events have highlighted the critical role of connectivity.”
Seamless roaming presents a major monetisation opportunity for Mobile Network Operators, according to the alliance.
“Connectivity is a priority for countries around the world and we believe that mobile operators have an important role to provide seamless, cost-effective connectivity everywhere. Seamless roaming will allow operators to meet a far greater expectation that travellers now have for accessing robust inflight connectivity in a convenient manner,” said Hidebumi Kitahara, VP and head of global business strategy at SoftBank Corp.
Alliance members
Seamless Air Alliance has grown its membership base in recent months, welcoming several new organisations including American Airlines, Deutsche Telekom, International Airlines Group (IAG), SES, Telesat and Thales Group.
Intelsat, an early member of the alliance, recently announced a definitive agreement to acquire the commercial aviation business of Gogo, the largest global provider of in-flight broadband connectivity.
Mark Richman, Intelsat’s director of aero products said, “We have the opportunity to redefine the IFC ecosystem and passenger experience. Our open architecture network delivers unique value with the redundancy and resiliency needed to scale a premium internet service to every passenger, from gate to gate. We remain fully committed to the Seamless Air Alliance and its mission to develop exceptional standards for the commercial aero industry.”
