DirecTV Deal Lets Travelers Tune In to Olympic Games.JUST because you're flying across the country doesn't mean you have to miss the Olympics. Digital satellite television provider DirecTV Inc., through its in-flight entertainment In-flight entertainment (IFE) refers to the entertainment available to aircraft passengers during a flight. After World War II commercial aviation flights became a daily event in which entertainment was requested by passengers to help the time pass. division, has penned a deal to transmit NBC NBC in full National Broadcasting Co. Major U.S. commercial broadcasting company. It was formed in 1926 by RCA Corp., General Electric Co. (GE), and Westinghouse and was the first U.S. company to operate a broadcast network. cable network broadcasts of the 2000 Summer Olympics to passengers traveling on commercial airlines -- as it's broadcast to viewers on the ground. El Segundo-based DirecTV's LiveTV in-flight entertainment system and DirecTV Airborne programming service allow airplane passengers to watch 24 channels of real-time television programs in the news, sports, children's and general interest genres. Airlines in recent years have begun airing reruns, but real-time television is a fairly new concept. The company basically copied the same system used to beam scores of channels to homes across America. "The airplane has a dish, much like a small satellite dish satellite dish n. A dish antenna used to receive and transmit signals relayed by satellite. satellite dish A parabolic antenna used to receive signals relayed by satellite. for the home, but more hightech," said Terry Ferguson, vice president of strategic planning and new business development for DirecTV. "Because the plane moves all around, the dish is able to always track the satellite." Passengers traveling on two new airlines -- JetBlue Airways based at JFK in New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of and Legend Airlines out of Dallas Love Field This article is about the airport. For the neighborhood, see Love Field, Dallas, Texas (Neighborhood). Dallas Love Field (IATA: DAL, ICAO: KDAL, FAA LID: DAL -- are the first to be able to watch the LiveTV system, in individual screens placed in the seat backs. Those passengers will be able to access NBC's Olympic coverage from NBC, CNBC CNBC Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition (artificial intelligence) CNBC Consumer News and Business Channel CNBC Congress of National Black Churches, Inc. , and MSNBC MSNBC Microsoft/National Broadcasting Company on two designated channels. "This is such a terrific opportunity to boost customer satisfaction," Ferguson said. "Ninety-five percent of the universe is excited about the Olympics and we want you to be able to watch it." The DirecTV Airborne service is a year old but is starting to build momentum. In addition to JetBlue and Legend, Alaska Airlines is scheduled to begin using the service in 2001, but will be rolling it out slowly because planes must be taken out of flying rotation to have the proper equipment installed. |
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