Airline passengers to access in-flight VoIP solutions

Passengers on US discount airline JetBlue will soon be able to access in-flight VoIP solutions, it has been revealed.

Telecommunications company ViaSat Inc has agreed a deal with the airline to provide satellite broadband and TV services across its fleet of 160 planes by 2012.

The development will allow passengers to make VoIP calls via Wi-Fi while in the air, as well as multimedia and entertainment services.

David Barger, JetBlue chief executive, claimed the new system is designed to cope with future demands for increased bandwidth.

He said: "Rather than invest in current technology, designed to transmit broadcast video and audio, we elected to partner with ViaSat to create broadband functionality worthy of today's interactive personal technology needs."

JetBlue must get permission from the Federal Aviation Administration before it can roll out the system.

Currently, AirTran Airways and Virgin America already have Wi-Fi on all their aircraft, while Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines also expect to do so in the near future.