Operating a multi-supplier IFC portfolio is not unique. Still, sometimes those shifts come as a surprise. A report this week very much fits in that latter category to me.
Sidewinder
Gilat Sells More Sidewinder, More Line-fit Installs
Chalk up another $39 million in Sidewinder antenna sales for Gilat to bring multi-orbit IFC to commercial aircraft. Deliveries are expected over the coming year.
Panasonic Avionics Adds Spacesail Option for Inflight Internet
Airlines will soon have a LEO option for internet service in China, thanks to a deal between Panasonic Avionics and Spacesail.
Considering Connectivity In, Over, Around, and Beyond China
Airbus announced plans to add the Chinese Spacesail (Qianfan) LEO constellation to its HPCplus portfolio, opening the door to conversations about how else it might end up in service for airlines.
Royal Brunei Set to Activate Multi-Orbit IFC with SES
Royal Brunei Airlines announced its inflight internet service partnership with SES (Intelsat at the time) earlier this summer. Now the carrier has a timeline to turn the service on.
SES Charts a New IFC Path with Intelsat Acquisition
SES entered the inflight connectivity market indirectly with its Open Orbits program. Now that it owns Intelsat, however, that direct relationship exists, and the company expects it to grow.
JetBlue, Kuiper Team for Next-Gen Inflight Internet
More than a decade after introducing fast, free Wi-Fi, JetBlue is refreshing the Fly-Fi experience as the first airline to sign a deal with Amazon’s Kuiper program.
Gilat Pushes Towards Boeing Line-Fit for Sidewinder
Multi-orbit ESAs got a boost this week, with Gilat announcing a $60 million order for its Stellar Blu Sidewinder terminal.
Royal Brunei Picks Intelsat for Inflight Internet
Royal Brunei Airlines will fit its A320neo fleet with broadband internet service, powered by Intelsat’s multi-orbit connectivity solution.
HBCplus Swaps, Line-fit Plans for Airbus Inflight Connectivity
The Viasat GX Aviation network has been the constellation of choice for more than 100 aircraft in the Airbus HBCplus program, which made the news of it being removed from offerability last week at AIX all the more interesting.