Companies Form In-Flight GSM Partnership

TriaGnoSys GmbH, of Wessling, Germany, and network-based telephony company Skuku, of Peta Tikva, Israel, have formed a partnership to provide in-flight GSM services. Their system makes use of existing connectivity on the aircraft, including in-seat screens, seat-back phones and the Internet, to enable voice and SMS functions.

Skuku technology uses SIM card data in ground GSM servers to provide roaming for voice and SMS. TriaGnoSys has developed the software to enable Skuku to be used on aircraft.

To use the service, passengers insert their own SIM cards into a SIM card reader. On aircraft with Internet connectivity, SMS messages can be sent and received using the IFE screen, and softphones can be used for voice calls. Seat-back phones can also be used to make and receive voice calls, as can Inmarsat and Iridium satellite phones, the companies said.