Thales Launches Product to Use Mobiles in Flight

PARIS -(Dow Jones)- French aeronautics and defense communications company Thales said Wednesday it would provide satellite technology to help customers use mobile phones and wireless Internet services in the air.

Thales will provide OnAir, a joint venture of Airbus and Netherlands-based technology company SITA Information Networking Computing, with the capability to uplink communications to Inmarsat PLC's 14 series satellites, the company said.

The product, called Topflight Satcom Satellite Data Unit, will give customers on regional and business jets the fastest connection available in flight, Thales said.

A spokesman for OnAir said that in the first quarter of 2007, Air France will introduce OnAir, making it the first airline to allow customers to use their mobile phones in flight.

U.K. Airline bmi, and TAP Air Portugal, Portugal's state-owned airline, are also looking to introduce the service.

Users will also be able to use BlackBerry handsets, short message service and even e-mails, OnAir said, once the airplane has reached 10,000 feet.

"We will be beginning to retrofit the terminals to Boeing and Airbus aircraft in 2007, and are looking forward to the launch of the service on Air France, TAP and bmi flights," George Cooper, chief executive of OnAir, said in a statement.

-By Nina Sovich, Dow Jones Newswires; +33 1 40 17 17 55; nina.sovich@dowjones.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires "

Posted to the site on 19th July 2006