Intelsat IFC available for all Airbus aircraft
September 20, 2023
By Chris Forrester
Intelsat reports that its In-Flight Communications (IFC) service, already available via Airbus Airspace Link, will shortly be available to all Airbus aircraft and airlines. Intelsat will be the largest IFC service provider to Airbus.
Starting with aircraft deliveries targeting the first half of 2026, airlines may select Airbus’ Ku-band ESA terminal, which is designed for simultaneous connections to Intelsat’s GEO network and LEO networks, such as OneWeb. Intelsat says this data routing plan will deliver premium IFC service with “an unmatched global level of resilience, low-latency and high throughput that is unique to Intelsat.”
As part of the agreement, Airbus will manage the HBCplus IFC system installation in line and retrofit, as well as the related in-service support.
“The new blended multi-orbit IFC service is testament to the successful cooperation between the Airbus and Intelsat teams to develop joint solutions in response to customer demands. Intelsat’s innovative use of GEO and LEO satellites to seamlessly offer a blended multi-orbit solution fits the disruptive nature of the Airspace Link open ecosystem,” said Maximilian Ruecker, VP/Cabin Procurement Seats, IFE and Electronics.
“Understanding that no airline is like any other, Intelsat has long offered flexibility and choice to its customers, including fit-for-purpose equipment options, and a variety of business models and passenger service offerings. With Airbus, we are offering a new level of sophistication and flexibility that leverages the high throughput of GEO satellites with the low latency delivered by LEO satellites,” added Dave Bijur, SVP/Commercial Aviation, Intelsat.