[Avionics Today 11-13-2014] AT&T has decided to drop its future plans for an Air-to-Ground (ATG) 4G aircraft connectivity network that was first announced in April. At the time, the telecommunications provider had announced Honeywell Aerospace as the exclusive supplier of its aircraft hardware for the network.
Going forward, AT&T will focus on its recently announced plan to acquire the Mexican wireless telecommunications company Iusacell.
“Last week we announced our intent to acquire Iusacell, a wireless company in Mexico. At the same time, and after a thorough review of our investment portfolio, the company decided to no longer pursue entry into the in-flight connectivity industry,"
Fletcher Cook, a spokesperson for AT&T told Avionics Magazine in an emailed statement. "We are focusing our capital on transformative investments, such as our Iusacell and DIRECTV deals.”
Despite the change decision from AT&T, Honeywell will still be able to pursue In-flght Connectivity (IFC) opportunities moving forward, as the company is the exclusive reseller of Inmarsat’s GX Aviation airtime and hardware for business aviation. The GX Aviation high-speed satellite communication service is expected to become commercially available in 2015.