Boeing Co. (NYSE:BA - news) unit Connexion said Tuesday it will provide about four live television channels to airline passengers using laptop computers on select flights in a bid to expand its in-flight wireless Internet service.
Connexion sets up so-called wireless hotspots in the sky by using satellites to deliver the Internet to planes and extending these links to passenger laptops via Wi-Fi, or short-range wireless links that work on most laptops.
It hopes to popularize this service, which currently works on certain flights for about 11 airlines, by adding live TV news from programers such as the BBC World Service, CNBC, MSNBC, EuroNews and Eurosportnews at no extra charge.
"We believe, based on our business case, we'll see an increase in use of our service that will make up for the additional cost over the life of the contracts," said Connexion's vice president of marketing David Friedman, referring to multi-year programming contracts.
