Passpoint Wi-Fi roaming during flights, which is uniquely offered in flight by Panasonic Avionics, will enable passengers to quickly and easily connect to in-flight Wi-Fi using existing mobile phone plans, eliminating the need for separate subscriptions or complex logins.
By leveraging MNOs’ subscriber authentication solutions and Panasonic Avionics' cutting-edge connectivity technology, passengers will be able to easily and seamlessly transition from terrestrial to airborne networks.
The first of its kind to be offered in flight, Panasonic Avionics’ service works by authenticating the passenger’s device onto the Wi-Fi network using its SIM credentials or app-based credentials, with the passenger paying their home mobile network provider.
John Wade, Vice President of Connectivity at Panasonic Avionics, said: “At Panasonic Avionics, our goal is to take the friction out of in-flight Wi-Fi, and let passengers walk on to an aircraft and immediately be connected. Passpoint Wi-Fi roaming represents a significant opportunity for the airline sector to enhance their passenger experience, and we salute Korean Air’s market-leading approach in being the first to adopt this innovation we are introducing.
“Our new service provides a viable path for airlines to offset the costs associated with offering Wi-Fi to passengers, while delivering a connection experience for passengers that is easy and intuitive."
Sung-Chul Lee, Senior Vice President of Global Business at SK Telink: “As a global roaming gateway of MNOs, SK Telink looks forward to working with both Panasonic Avionics and our network of mobile operators to make in-flight Wi-Fi services available on even more flights with airlines around the world.”
Panasonic Avionics, leveraging its experience of connecting MNOs to in-flight connectivity (IFC), will handle the technical, commercial, and billing needs of connecting mobile operators to IFC, allowing airlines to focus on their core business, in cooperation with SK Telink and its roaming gateway of MNOs.
