Tenzing and ARINC Partner to Provide Simpler Airline Email Connection

Tenzing Communications and ARINC Incorporated have announced an agreement making it even easier for airlines to equip their fleets with inflight email connectivity and give passengers immediate access to their email, both during flight and on the ground.

Alan McGinnis, CEO of Seattle-based Tenzing said, "Passengers asked for email connectivity and we listened. Through this collaborative partnership with ARINC, we are making it even quicker and easier to stay connected with wireless in the sky and on the ground."

Airlines that want to enable their aircraft for email can do so by installing Tenzing's software onto their existing onboard LAN infrastructures. ARINC performs the Internet Service Provider (ISP) role for passengers, integrating with the Tenzing application and managing the billing, customer care, and assignment of email accounts where needed. This provides airlines with an end-to-end solution for inflight email services to passengers. ARINC's ISP capability is provided by ARINC's partner Airpath Wireless Inc. The companies recently formed Opti-Fi Networks(SM), Ltd. to deliver public and private wireless LAN services to airports.

Said Graham Lake, Vice President ARINC Europe Middle East and Africa, "This extension of ARINC's capabilities is a further illustration of our commitment to deliver world class solutions to the aviation industry. It leverages ARINC's strategic initiatives in several areas, including inflight communications, applications, and wireless technology. This new product offering further augments ARINC's expansion plan, supported by our recent opening of a new regional office in Dubai."

Passengers traveling on aircraft equipped with Tenzing software with ARINC as the preferred ISP partner will have two ways to access their email in flight:

1. Those who are members of one of Tenzing's other partner ISPs can simply use their existing username and password to connect, or
2. They can set up an account in flight by subscribing to ARINC's inflight ISP services.

In addition to performing billing and customer care, ARINC will provide passengers with a free e-mail account, as well as a username and password, which not only provides access in flight but also once the passenger is on the ground.

The ARINC ISP solution is available to airlines regardless of their choice of air-to-ground service provider, making it easy for airlines to provide their passengers with the freedom of mobile e-mail connectivity.

FMI: www.arinc.com, www.tenzing.com