Martin Dawes Systems Helps GogoŽ Inflight Internet Service Take Off on US Airlines

Inflight Wi-Fi service goes live with Martin Dawes Systems Managed Service in the Back Office

14th July 2009, Warrington, UK - Martin Dawes Systems, award-winning vendor of business support solutions (BSS) for the communications industry, today announced that its billing and customer relationship management (CRM) services have gone live with Aircell, the leading provider of airborne communications technology. This follows the successful commercial launch of Gogo® Inflight Internet service on major US domestic airlines.

Currently available on more than 420 aircraft operating on short-haul and trans-continental flights throughout the US, the Gogo service turns aircraft into flying Wi-Fi hotspots, enabling customers to surf the Web, check e-mail, instant message and access corporate VPNs. Gogo is accessible via any Wi-Fi-enabled device including laptops and smart phones.

Gogo is available on all Virgin America flights as well as select American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and AirTran Airways flights in all classes, with additional routes and airlines like United, Air Canada and Northwest Airlines joining the line-up every day.

Martin Dawes Systems is responsible for managing Gogo’s point of sale, real time transactions, billing processes and CRM functions. In addition, Martin Dawes Systems provides dynamic pricing selection and an integrated web chat facility that enables passengers’ choice on the type of offering and real time support from Customer Support Agents. These services are delivered to Aircell as a managed service solution run out of a Martin Dawes Systems data centre in Boston, Massachusetts, US.

Gabriella Vacca, Vice President, Systems & Technology, Aircell commented, “In the digital age, real time transactions and support for airborne customers presents an exciting challenge. Previous inflight communications systems had focused on airborne hardware and pre-defined pricing for communication services. We realized that delivering an excellent customer experience would be critical to the appeal of Gogo. We look at the end-to-end customer experience from initial purchase to the use of the Wi-Fi session and the opportunity for the passenger to use Gogo on future flights. Passengers have a high expectation of what they can do with Wi-Fi access and we have designed a service-oriented architecture to serve and support passengers during their flight and beyond.”

Vacca continued, “So, alongside our other ground-breaking technology, the Martin Dawes Systems’ solution is an integral part of the Gogo service. Their software gives our customers a powerful tool to enable service and access assistance when they need it from real people in real-time. This level of service is enhancing the experience for passengers who have tried out Gogo since the commercial go-live.”

Barry Dowd, Customer Support Director, Martin Dawes Systems said, “With Gogo, Aircell is realizing the dream of easy-to-use, affordable broadband access in the air. It is a true trailblazer and taking off with airlines and passengers at an impressive rate. We’re extremely proud of the role that Martin Dawes Systems is playing in helping to make Gogo a success and a positive experience for US airline passengers.”