Inflight Connectivity in India gets Green Light
by Neelam Mathews - January 22, 2018, 12:24 PM Low-fare carriers expect to become among the first to offer IFC on Indian domestic services. (Photo: Neelam Mathews) After years of deliberation, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has decided to allow internet and mobile communication on aircraft (MCA) for in-flight connectivity (IFC) in Indian airspace through both satellite and terrestrial networks. India remained one of the few countries left in the world that did not permit IFC. While the implementation could take around six months, domestic carriers may now introduce voice, data, and video in flight. International carriers and overflying flights required to shut down their systems on entry into Indian airspace will now no longer have to do so. IFC represents another source of ancillary revenue for domestic carriers, though the structure and costs for charging passengers remain under discussion. Airline...