Kontron and Air Esurfing Sign Agreement to Collaborate on China Inflight Connectivity

Kontron to supply cabin Wi-Fi hardware and certification services

Long Beach, CA, September 28, 2017 – Kontron, a leading global provider of embedded computing inflight entertainment and connectivity equipment, today announced that it has signed an agreement with Air Esurfing, a fully owned subsidiary of Air Media online Group, to jointly explore China aviation WiFi market. The Air Esurfing system solution will integrate Kontron’s ACE Flight™ Server and Cab-N-Connect™ wireless access point for inflight connectivity applications that utilize China’s Ku-band and Ku/Ka-band HTS capacity. Kontron is also providing STC certification services to ensure that the new system is qualified to meet the safety and regulatory standards required for commercial aviation in China.

Kontron's certified IFE&C open platforms were selected for their ability to help reduce the complexity and costs associated with developing next-generation "connected aircraft" systems including new Satcom applications. The new services from Air Esurfing are scheduled to be launched in early 2018 with pilot programs that will offer in-cabin video streaming and inflight Internet connectivity to passengers on China domestic flights.

"Kontron is very pleased to sign this cooperation agreement with Air Esurfing, who is a key player in the rapidly growing China IFE&C market," said Andy Mason, Vice President of Technology at Kontron America. "We can support this partnership with cabin and connectivity products already certified and flying with the Chinese airlines, plus the regional and global experience that enables fast time-to-market."

"Kontron brings proven hardware solutions for inflight WiFi and connectivity," said Mr. Zhou Hong, General Manager Air Esurfing. "These enabling platforms will enable us to offer the most state-of-the-art IFE&C services to the domestic Chinese market."

For more information on Kontron’s extensive line of certified IFE&C open platform solutions, please visit: https://www.kontron.com/industries/avionics

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About Air Esurfing

Located in Beijing, Air Esurfing (ARE) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Air Media online Group, dedicated to provide in-flight entertainment and connectivity (IFEC) services to airlines. ARE has rich operational experiences on in-flight entertainment and the most influential China domestic operator in providing high-end in-flight entertainment, internet access, and digital media services to passengers.

ARE has a wide scope of services aimed at meeting airlines' and passengers' variety and personalized multi-media entertainment experiences, which include: in-flight internet connectivity, airborne satellite communications, cabin networks, IFEC engineering integration, integrated network operation center, advertising, in-flight movie & TV & copy rights, flight destination service, digital commerce, games, social media and an integrated technology and operational solution, and big data,cloud computing and financial lease service.

The company is based in China and targets global markets. At the end of 2016 Air Esurfing and its parent company own over 90% market share in China aviation digital media sector. The company has major market share in traditional media services at airports, high-speed railway, long distance buses, as well as exclusive licenses to operate WiFi access service on tens of thousands buses, trains and many railway stations. The company created aviation media network in major airports like Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou as well as 3,000 flight routes of AirChina, ChinaEastern, ChinaSouthern and several other airlines. This has created a unified sky-ground mobility internet access and commercial operation.

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About Air Media online Group

Air Media online Group (Air Media online) is a focused technology company aimed at creating a super service platform that integrates long distance passenger transportation resource, communications network, entertainment contents and O2O service.

The group’s business includes long distance travel passenger portal; build and operate WiFi networks in buses, trains, and airplanes; providing titles of movie and TV programs, copyright trading and advertising. It has several subsidiaries that cover those businesses and ARE is the one dedicated to In-Flight Entertainment and Connectivity (IFEC).

Air Media online has signed up contracts to build and operate on-bus WiFi network and deliver entertainment service with over 1,400 long distance bus companies that carry 4.5B passengers flow volume per year with over 200k buses. Air Media online has signed up contracts to build and operate on-train WiFi networks and deliver entertainment service with 12 leading regional railway operators that serve 1.5B passengers flow volume per year.

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About Kontron – An S&T Company

Kontron is a global leader in embedded computing technology (ECT). As a part of technology group S&T, Kontron offers a combined portfolio of secure hardware, middleware and services for Internet of Things (IoT) and Industry 4.0 applications. With its standard products and tailor-made solutions based on highly reliable state-of-the-art embedded technologies, Kontron provides secure and innovative applications for a variety of industries. As a result, customers benefit from accelerated time-to-market, reduced total cost of ownership, product longevity and the best fully integrated applications overall.

For more information, please visit: www.kontron.com

For further information please contact:

Alexandra Habekost
Head of Investor Relations & Corporate Communications
Kontron
Tel: +49 (0) 821 4086 114
alexandra.habekost@kontron.com

All rights reserved. Kontron is a trademark or registered trademark of Kontron AG. Intel, Iris and Xeon are trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the U.S. and/or other countries. All other brand or product names are trademarks or registered trademarks or copyrights by their respective owners and are recognized.