ABSTRACT
Seated on Lufthansa flight 459 – from San Francisco to Munich – I can nowadays switch on my laptop shortly after take-off and via the Lufthansa portal can operate my web browser without needing to plug in. The brand new Airbus A 340s that ply this route are equipped with FlyNet, the first in-flight wireless broadband Internet service offered by any commercial airline. What is more, the bandwidth is very nearly equal to that available on the ground. For a small fee, I can have full Internet access and can even connect remotely to Cisco Systems’ secure private intranet, simply by entering my employee password. In flight 37,500 ft (11,430 m) above ground and at a cruising speed of 560 miles (901 km) per hour, I have the same company resources at hand as I would have sitting in Cisco’s Silicon Valley headquarters. I can connect with colleagues, business partners, even family and friends, through Internet-based phone calls, instant messaging accompanied by live video, or via e-mail. For personal entertainment, I can mix my favorite live streaming broadcasts from radio stations in Munich and San Francisco. I have the additional ability of watching Web-TV or downloading an online movie. Untethered from my seat, I can roam the aisles with my mobile communication device and be productive from anywhere on the plane during the greater part of my 11-hour flight.
