40 Success Stories: When Kontron Streamlined IFEC Hardware
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To celebrate the 40th anniversary of APEX EXPO this year, we’re looking back at APEX members’ most significant achievements. Today, we chart Kontron’s rise to success in the in-flight entertainment and connectivity (IFEC) hardware space.
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In 2011, Kontron launched a standards-based open system platform consisting of its ACE Flight 4600 Server and Cab-n-Connect cabin wireless access point (CWAP) to streamline the deployment of new wireless in-flight entertainment (IFE) systems for airlines.
The Cab-n-Connect CWAP was based on the newly released 802.11n Wi-Fi standard, which provided enough bandwidth to support video streaming to personal electronic devices. As a non-proprietary system, the ACE Flight 4600 server worked with third party video streaming software providers to reduce design complexity and offer airlines a more cost-effective solution than its proprietary equivalents.
The Server and WAP were first installed by Lufthansa Systems using its BoardConnect software on Virgin Australia’s fleet starting in 2012 – a major milestone that proved to the IFEC industry that reliable wireless video streaming to personal electronic devices was possible.
Since then, Kontron has continued to evolve its open system platforms model and released more new products that further lower the cost of IFEC deployment. This includes its A100 Cab-n-Connect CWAP, based on the 802.11ac Wi-Fi standard; high-performance ACE Flight 4608 Server, which is the basis of Global Eagle’s Airconnect platform; and P100 Cab-n-Connect portable system, among others.
Many providers across the globe use Kontron’s open platform systems for their IFEC solutions, including those in Russia and China. Today, the company’s portfolio of IFEC hardware is flying on over 4,500 commercial and corporate aircraft.
Andy Mason, General Manager R&D/Operations at Kontron, commented, “Kontron is helping passengers enjoy the ability to stream content and stay connected with their personal devices with increasing levels of intelligence and connectivity. We are committed to providing leading-edge certified systems that will further enhance the passenger experience.”
See more posts from the 40 Success Stories campaign.