Written by Seth Miller @ PaxEx.Aero
Another small satellite constellation is coming, this time from a rather unlikely source. Inflight entertainment and connectivity middle-man Anuvu (formerly Global Eagle) will bring MicroGEO satellites into service, launching its first constellation in…
Category: PremCat
Intelsat Commercial Aviation launches, retires Gogo name
Written by Seth Miller @ PaxEx.Aero
The product will still be known at 2Ku, at least for now. But the in-flight connectivity company previously known as Gogo Commercial Aviation officially changed its name to Intelsat Commercial Aviation, less than a year after closing on the transaction…
Azul CEO talks free WiFi, sees long-term customer value
Written by Seth Miller @ PaxEx.Aero
How can an airline justify a massive, expensive project coming off the absolute worst year the aviation industry ever experienced? For Azul CEO John Rodgerson, the answer was easy. “The way I look at it is when we invite somebody on board the aircraft …
SmartSky activates test corridor, moves towards nation-wide deployment
Written by Seth Miller @ PaxEx.Aero
With the “completion of all technical milestones and the opening of the first fully operational coverage zone,” the SmartSky in-flight connectivity network is beginning to come online. Route-based flight demonstrations can be performed, marking a major…
Spirit Airlines WiFi goes live*
Written by Seth Miller @ PaxEx.Aero
Spirit Airlines is now online in the sky. The first few planes fitted with the company’s in-flight wifi connectivity offering recently entered service for passenger use, though a formal launch is not expected until later this year.
The post Spirit Airl…
Global Eagle, Telesat push forward with LEO antenna qualification
Written by Seth Miller @ PaxEx.Aero
Global Eagle is moving closer to a Ka-band in-flight connectivity solution. The company recently cleared a critical milestone in the verification phase for the Global Eagle Airconnect Ka IFC terminal to be used with Canadian satellite operator Telesat’…
JetBlue’s A220 Fly-Fi: A bit different behind the scenes
Written by Seth Miller @ PaxEx.Aero
Fast, free, FlyFi wifi on board every flight is a key value proposition from JetBlue. The carrier’s new A220 fleet features the same Viasat-powered satellite connectivity as the older aircraft, but how it came to be on the planes is a bit different fro…
Delta’s first Viasat-equipped plane goes live this weekend
Written by Seth Miller @ PaxEx.Aero
Delta Air Lines will launch its new, Viasat-powered in-flight connectivity era this weekend. The first A321ceo equipped with the Ka-band satellite connectivity gear expects to enter regular scheduled service on 1 May.
The post Delta’s first Viasa…
Next Gen ATG 5G moves forward in China
Written by Seth Miller @ PaxEx.Aero
Getting a 5G air-to-ground network into service in the USA is a tough task, with schedules continuing to slip and questions about the hardware involved. But in China the new services are expected to launch soon, and expand quickly. Powered by Chinese m…
Technology and Towers: SmartSky’s new CTO and the transition to operations
Written by Seth Miller @ PaxEx.Aero
Getting a new ATG network into service was never going to be easy. Can new CTO David Classen push SmartSky across the finish line, addressing the tower technical challenges along the way?
The post Technology and Towers: SmartSky’s new CTO and the…
De-risking IFC with OneWeb’s new JetTalk terminal
Written by Seth Miller @ PaxEx.Aero
Chapter 11 is disappearing quickly from the rear view mirror. Satellite launches resumed and the constellation continues to grow. And earlier this month a new deal regarding an in-flight connectivity terminal and antenna solution helped buoy the compan…
A SmartSky Senior Shuffle
Written by Seth Miller @ PaxEx.Aero
The Ides of March proved challenging in the upper ranks of SmartSky’s leadership. At least two members of the company’s senior leadership team appear to be affected by the changes.
The post A SmartSky Senior Shuffle appeared first on PaxEx.Aero.
Gogo slips 5G to 2022, sees smooth upgrade path
Written by Seth Miller @ PaxEx.Aero
Officially slipping the Gogo 5G network into 2022 from this year is not great news, but Gogo’s overall finances emerged from 2020 stronger than expected and the next 5 years should complete the transformation.
The post Gogo slips 5G to 2022, sees smoot…
Global Eagle sees a refreshed 2021 with updated Gilat transceiver and more
Written by Seth Miller @ PaxEx.Aero
In-flight connectivity performance should get a bit better in the coming months for some Global Eagle customers thanks to an improved on-board transceiver. The Aerostream 40Ku, developed by Gilat, achieved DO-160G certification this week, allowing for …
SmartSky secures additional funding, sets Summer launch plans
Written by Seth Miller @ PaxEx.Aero
SmartSky announced a new timeline for network deployment, plus some additional cash to help it get there.
The post SmartSky secures additional funding, sets Summer launch plans appeared first on PaxEx.Aero.