On board the aircraft of Etihad Airlines from the United Arab Emirates, a super-fast Wi-Fi network will be deployed for passengers to access the Internet.
By the end of next year, Etihad passengers from the UAE will be able to watch YouTube videos, send tweets and emails, and check for updates on Facebook at the highest speeds thanks to the Wi-Fly program. It will provide ultra-fast Internet service during flights as part of a carrier partnership with satellite operator Yahsat and telecommunications company du.
Recent tests have confirmed that a 50 Mb / s connection may be available on board the aircraft, which will allow real-time content transfer.
A consortium of emirate and international companies will conduct certification and testing of technology throughout the year.
“We want to achieve what we have on earth today and to be able to provide ultrafast Internet and Wi-Fi in the plane so that it is not limited by anything. At the moment, you can access some social networks in the plane, update your profile, but with this new solution you’ll be able to seamlessly transfer content and watch videos, ”said Donovan Smith, director of marketing at Yahsat.
"This is an UAE innovation ... We were able to create what we just talked about before," he added.
The new system will be demonstrated on Etihad during the Dubai Airshow next month. Once certification is completed, a special unit can be integrated into the production line of new aircraft.
Technology will be protected from cyber attacks by du.
“We will use firewalls, Trojan detection systems that can block the threat. In addition, they will predict, analyze and determine the source of the threat,” said Salem Al Blushi, chief infrastructure manager at du.
“We are already using analytical resources to protect critical infrastructure in the country, and this experience will be implemented here,” he added.
