Boeing

Connexion by Boeing^SM, a business unit of The Boeing Company (NYSE: BA), has signed an agreement with Tokyo-based Space Communications Corporation (SCC) that builds additional momentum in the Asia-Pacific region for the introduction of high-speed connectivity to commercial airline operators and their passengers seeking real-time access to data and entertainment content in flight.

Working together with SCC, Connexion by Boeing will lease transponder capacity on the company's SUPERBIRD-C satellite located at 144 degrees east, providing the mobile information services provider with satellite coverage that supports the popular Asia-to-Europe airline routes. In addition, SCC will establish and operate a satellite gateway (ground station) at the Ibaraki Satellite Control Center north of Tokyo, providing a link between passengers using the service aboard commercial airliners and the terrestrial-based network used to access the full richness of the World Wide Web.

"This agreement with SCC supports our plan to introduce real-time, two-way connectivity to airline passengers within one of the world's most technology-intensive regions," said Joe Shaheen, director of Operational Services for Connexion by Boeing. "The leasing of Ku-band transponder capacity and establishment of the ground station at Ibaraki not only provides a robust Wide Area Network, but will help ensure passengers have reliable, high-speed access to the data and entertainment services they want and need during flight."

Connexion by Boeing will begin the installation of its service onboard commercial airliners in early 2004, allowing airline passengers traveling between Asia and Europe to stay in touch with family, colleagues and the office, and to send and receive e-mails, access the World Wide Web, travel-related information or their firewall-protected corporate intranets, and entertain themselves -- all in real-time. Airline operators also will benefit from access to real-time crew and aircraft data.