In-flight Wi-Fi broadband deployment is expected to surpass 6,100 planes worldwide, with revenues of up to $1.5 billion by 2015, research firm In-Stat said.

Although the market has been in development for over a decade, broadband connectivity onboard airplanes have yet to reach critical mass. There were only 1,835 broadband-enabled planes in 2011. Growth was slow at 4 percent in 2010 and 7 percent in 2011.

However, inflight-broadband provers have started to introduce additional passenger services such as video and voice to increase revenue opportunities.

“The installed base of Wi-Fi-enabled devices has increased enormously over the past decade,” said Amy Cravens, Senior Analyst. “With more people carrying Wi-Fi-enabled devices, the potential addressable market has increased multi-fold. Additionally, the variety of Wi-Fi-enabled devices has also changed considerably, which will significantly alter the usage of in-flight broadband. More passengers are boarding planes with Wi-Fi-enabled smartphones and tablets, as well as laptops, which are able to utilize the service.”

In-Stat's research, "From Pipe to Platform: Worldwide In-Flight Broadband Providers Redefine Strategy", examines in greater detail the market for next-generation in-flight entertainment (IFE), with a focus on in-flight broadband services.