Improved in-flight WiFi to become a reality

PanARMENIAN.Net - Decent WiFi connectivity on board European flights is about to become a reality thanks to a partnership between Deutsche Telekom and the UK's Inmarsat, according to Digital Spy.

High-capacity 4G base stations are being built across the continent to help cater for all of your Facebook, Twitter and Snapchatting needs at 30,000 feet.

The base stations will be bolstered by satellite technology from Inmarsat to provide home broadband-quality 4G to passengers.

"This will be the first aviation connectivity network in Europe powered by both LTE and satellite combined," Deutsche Telekom CEO Tim Hottges told reporters.

Lufthansa is the first airline on board, and it will begin offering high-speed internet to its customers as of next year, with a wider rollout expected in 2017.

Although the 4G network will potentially allow passengers to use online services on their mobile as they would on the ground, phone calls will not be allowed.

It is yet to be confirmed how much extra the 4G service is going to cost airline passengers.