New product launches are rare and a successful one in China even more so. But Qingdao Airlines now has Ka-band inflight connectivity online, powered by China Satcom, FTS and Gilat.
inflight connectivity
Skip the speed test: Viasat removes caps for BizAv connectivity
You might think that 16 megabits per second is pretty fast for an inflight wifi connection. But Viasat wants its business aviation connectivity customers to have more than that. The company officially removed speed caps from its Ka-band contracts this week, allowing aircraft owners to access whatever is available in the network, whatever the hardware and the link budget can support.
Global Eagle’s cash crunch
The numbers for Global Eagle’s Q1 are not good. And with a narrow margin of liquidity before it is considered in default on its debt, the timing is tight.
Gogo expands wifi coverage down to 3,000 feet
Many travelers in the US will soon have a bit of increased inflight wifi coverage. Gogo is adjusting its air-to-ground network to deliver service starting at 3,000 feet altitude rather than 10,000 feet.
OneWeb secures funding from Bharti, UK Gov’t
The UK government and Indian telecom giant Bharti Global Limited won the assets of aspiring satellite operator OneWeb in a bankruptcy auction. Each party will invest $500 million in the company as part of the recapitalization plan. Subject to further government and regulatory approvals and funding, OneWeb will resume manufacture, launch and operation of its satellite constellation.
SmartSky counters Gogo’s patent dispute
When Gogo filed for a review of a key SmartSky patent in April the upstart inflight connectivity company vowed to defend its intellectual property portfolio. At its core, SmartSky’s position is that Gogo chose to redefine the term “Software Defined Radio.” SkartSky also posits that much of the petition is redundant to evidence previously considered in the initial application review.
Qantas lounges reopen in Australia, inflight wifi service resumes
Qantas will reopen eleven of its airport lounges to kick off the month of July as travel and venue restrictions ease across Australia. The lounges shuttered on 23 March owing to government restrictions. The reopened lounges will welcome fewer passengers owing to new capacity limitations, and operate slightly differently than they did earlier this year.
Nokia, EE team up for new air-to-ground connectivity network
Nokia found a new opportunity to deploy its air-to-ground inflight connectivity hardware. The company behind the ground station antennae for Inmarsat’s European Aviation Network secured a deal with EE, part of the British Telecom group, to deploy a nationwide, dedicated, airborne communications network for Great Britain’s emergency services.
British Airways continues to diversify its inflight connectivity portfolio
British Airways’ newest long-haul planes will not be fitted with the Gogo 2Ku solution. Instead, the company will diversify its vendor portfolio, though passengers shouldn’t notice the difference.
Gogo’s Business Aviation sector shows strong rebound
Business Aviation is making a strong comeback, with Gogo’s BizAv unit topping 3,000 daily flights last week, a significant milestone and nearly 90% of the numbers from early this year.