Jake Widman
Thursday, 07 May 2009 02:34
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According to a new report, travelers will have some 800 broadband-enabled airplanes to choose from by the end of the year.
Market intelligence firm
In-Stat predicts that the increase in broadband availability will generate over $49 million in revenue worldwide in 2009.
“The market is clearly gaining momentum, with deployments escalating in number,” said In-Stat analyst Daryl Schoolar in the announcement.
In-Stat predicts even more dramatic growth over the next four years, with 2013 seeing more than 200 million in-flight broadband connects per year. Long-haul flights are expected to provide the majority of the connects.
Handheld devices are expected to make up about a third of the connections, with the rest coming from notebooks and netbooks.
By 2012, the firm says, in-flight broadband will be a $1 billion market.
The firm also expects live broadcast video to experience significant growth, with usage revenues doubling this year and continuing to grow strongly.