Apcela went quiet after announcing its acquisition of the SmartSky network late last year. But that does not mean the company slowed down. Indeed, over the past twelve months it has been busy getting the network back online, upgraded, and preparing to compete in the air-to-ground connectivity space.
As this year’s NBAA kicks off Apcela announced major updates, including a refreshed network core and new sales partnerships.
By combining Apcela’s high-performance networking capabilities with the advanced ATG technologies acquired from SmartSky, we’re delivering the most advanced in-flight connectivity experience available— fast, secure, and application-aware.
– Mark Casey, CEO of Apcela
The 300+ site ground infrastructure was the target of a modernization effort covering both core and edge infrastructure. Backhaul capacity from the towers was upgraded while a “new, fully encrypted, software-defined networking platform, and an updated evolved packet core” were deployed.
Read more: Gogo Keeps 2026 Focus at Fore
Notably, all the prior SmartSky customers are active on the network again, “reporting strong system performance” according to the company. They form the base for Apcela’s push to secure contracts for new deployments with charter management fleets and corporate operators.
Mike Dodson, CTO for Apcela ATG, and former SmartSky Chief Network Officer, added, “Our ability to seamlessly onboard former SmartSky customers alongside net new deployments, demonstrates the stability and scalability of the upgraded network and our enhanced deployment capabilities. We’re thrilled to see aircraft connecting to the new platform and experiencing performance that rivals users’ terrestrial broadband experience.”
Separately, expect to hear more about Gogo‘s STC progress for Galileo (FDX on a BBJ, HDX on smaller jets), as well as progress in testing the 5G chip at the show this week as business aviation inflight connectivity once again sees real competition in the market.
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