Should the Viasat/Inmarsat merger eventually close, the company may need to send a thank you present to the Starlink team at SpaceX. After four months of additional review, the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) issued a provisional approval to the combination, and the upstart LEO operator is cited as a major factor in the determination.
BizAv
SmartSky boosts patent claims against Gogo
SmartSky’s patent lawsuit against Gogo has grown. By increasing the number of patents at issue, SmartSky gains additional opportunities to win the suit; any one violation is sufficient for it to secure victory.
More drama for the Jet It connectivity plans
Last week fractional jet operator Jet It announced plans to install Gogo’s AVANCE L3 inflight internet offering on board, upgrading and expanding the service available to its customers. Which was particularly surprising given that the company made a similar announcement with SmartSKy nine months prior.
Gogo’s 5G chips move to manufacturing
Last August Gogo announced a delay in its Gogo 5G network activation, owing to issues in development of the chipset for its on-board modem. Today the company confirms that those issues are resolved.
Gogo signs Jet It for AVANCE L3 deployment
Fractional aircraft operator Jet It will install Gogo’s AVANCE L3 solution across its fleet of light jets. The inflight internet service will fly on Jet It’s HondaJets and Gulfstream G150s, as well as new Embraer Phenom 300 aircraft joining the fleet.
Stellar Blu, Satcom Direct partner for BizAv LEO services
Business aviation solutions provider Satcom Direct will serve as the preferred provider for Stellar Blu’s Sidewinder antenna systems as the companies roll out the next generation of inflight connectivity for business jets. The Stellar Blu Sidewinder electronically steered array (ESA) terminal will offer a link to OneWeb’s LEO constellation.
Next Gen JetWave antenna boasts boosted BizAv performance
Honeywell plans to offer a new version of its JetWave terminal solution for the business aviation market. Developed to connect on Inmarsat’s JetConneX Ka-band network, the updated terminal expects to deliver improved performance with an eye towards the next generation of satellites in orbit.
Inmarsat announces Honeywell, Satcom Direct for SwiftJet distribution
It is not a broadband connection, but the boosted performance Inmarsat’s SwiftJet delivers over L-band should be a welcome improvement for aero customers. And now they have options for purchasing the service via Honeywell and Satcom Direct.
Starlink Aviation opens up for BizAv orders
Starlink for business aviation is officially on the market, coinciding with the NBAA 2022 conference in Orlando. The company is now accepting orders for the inflight internet service, with hardware to ship in 2023.
Gogo completes 5G tower deployment
With the final panels hoisted on to a tower atop a mountain in Oregon this week, Gogo now claims a completed 5G air-to-ground network as part of the company’s in-flight connectivity offerings. It is a major milestone for the rollout, but it will still be some time before planes are flying with the new network online.