The Australian airline Qantas began trials of an on-board GSM mobile phone service yesterday using technology developed by the software group Altobridge, which is based in Tralee, Co Kerry.
Qantas was given the go-ahead from federal regulators for a 12-month trial of the service on one of its Boeing 767 aircraft which services domestic routes.
It is believed to be the first airline to go live with a GSM mobile phone service, which will allow passengers to use their mobiles for SMS text-messaging and e-mails. Voice calls are being prohibited for the time being.
A number of other airlines, including Ryanair and British Midland, are planning to make similar services available in the near future, subject to regulatory approval.
Altobridge is chaired by former tánaiste Dick Spring. The company developed the technology and licensed it to a company called AeroMobile, which in turn has provided it to Qantas. Telstra, an Australia-based telecoms company, and Panasonic Avionics Corporation are also involved in the trials.
This is the same technology that will be used by Blue Ocean Wireless, a firm backed by Irishman Domhnal Slattery which plans to make GSM mobile phone technology available to crews on board merchant ships. Blue Ocean is a joint venture between Claret Capital and Altobridge.
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