June 28, 2007 – THE latest order announcement from handheld IFE provider digEcor shows just how volatile this sector of the industry can be. From Fiji-based Air Pacific, it covers provision for just a single aircraft, which will be equipped with digEplayer XTs from August 1.

Air Pacific operates a long-haul fleet of six aircraft – three Boeing 737s, a 767-300ER and a pair of 747-400s – and has five 787s on order.  

After a storming run in 2005-06 which saw Utah-based digEcor chalk up more than 25 customers and put thousands of devices into service, announcements of new business have proved thin on the ground this year. In the meantime, Californian-based IMS has emerged as a formidable competitor, winning the favour of a number of US majors and challenging digEcor’s tally of handhelds in service. 

The advantage could be about to swing back to digEcor, however. According to chief executive Brent Wood, the company recently shipped over 300 XTs to a carrier in the United States, and will deliver over 2,000 more to six new customers in the next 30 days.
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