Inmarsat and Panasonic partner on in-flight broadband

British satellite company Inmarsat said it would collaborate with Japan’s Panasonic Avionics in providing in-flight broadband for commercial airlines. The 10-year agreement will see Inmarsat become Panasonic’s exclusive provider of connectivity using the Ka-band satellite signal, Inmarsat said Thursday. In return, it will offer Panasonic’s portfolio of services to its commercial aviation customers. Inmarsat’s CE Rupert Pearce said partnering with a leader in in-flight entertainment was a “massive vote of confidence” in the capability of its GX high-speed broadband network to provide in-flight broadband. The catalyst for the partnership came from a mutual airline partner, Pearce said, and the two companies were already working on new prospects.<br/>