Advanced Television

IFE

Gogo Commercial Aviation is now Intelsat

Intelsat has announced that Gogo Commercial Aviation, a business it acquired in December 2020, is dropping the Gogo name and is now called Intelsat. With its acquisition of Gogo’s Commercial Aviation division, Intelsat says it became the “world’s leading provider of inflight broadband connectivity to the commercial aviation industry”. The integration means that Intelsat now […]

July 14, 2021By Chris Forrester

Thales offers 4K entertainment on aircraft

Thales has struck an agreement with Samsung to supply 4K in-seat aircraft entertainment using Samsung’s QLED technology and HARMAN (Samsung-owned) audio benefits. Thales is using its Optiq-branded display technology as part of its offering. Also included are a pair of Bluetooth connections and WiFi functionality. Thales’ head of marketing for inflight, Jerry Thomas, says that […]

June 30, 2021By Chris Forrester

Analyst: IFC to help ViaSat as airlines come out of pandemic

Quilty Analytics, in a report that focuses on California-based broadband supplier ViaSat, says that despite the impact of the Covid pandemic ViaSat is going to benefit from a recovery in In Flight Connectivity (IFC) as passengers return to airlines. For ViaSat in particular, Quilty says that as Covid-19 headwinds continued to ease in its fourth […]

June 16, 2021By Chris Forrester

SpaceX looks to in-flight broadband for Starlink

SpaceX is reportedly in talks with several airlines about them utilising its Starlink broadband satellite system on their aircraft. Jonathan Hofeller, SpaceX’s VP of Starlink and commercial sales, told a panel at the Connected Aviation Intelligence Summit on June 9th that Starlink was in talks with several airlines and had carried out “some” demonstrations. Starlink […]

June 10, 2021By Chris Forrester

Global Eagle rebrands

Global Eagle Entertainment (GEE), having emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy reconstruction, is rebranding itself. The new name, ANUVU, will cover the new business and its subsidiaries including masFlight, NavAero and Criterion. Global Eagle filed for bankruptcy protection in July 2020 and exited the process in March this year. The problems with Covid and airlines grounding […]

May 28, 2021By Chris Forrester

Viasat to connect 230 Delta aircraft with IFC

Viasat of California is to equip at least 230 Delta Air Lines with its In Flight Connectivity (IFC) broadband solution. Viasat adds that it is ready for a rebound in air passenger traffic as the pandemic ends. The aircraft, all part of Delta’s US domestic fleet and including its Airbus 321neo, Airbus 220-300, Boeing 737-800, […]

May 26, 2021By Chris Forrester

Viasat puts NBA League Pass on flights

The NBA and Viasat have announced a multi-year partnership to make NBA League Pass, the league’s premium live game subscription service, available to millions of airline passengers while in flight. The partnership will provide a streaming experience in the sky, enabling airline passengers to access live and on-demand NBA games and content on their personal […]

May 20, 2021By Nik Roseveare

ABS wins Global Eagle IFE deal

In-Flight Connectivity and entertainment supplier Global Eagle Entertainment (GEE) has signed a capacity agreement with satellite operator ABS. ABS is officially headquartered in Bermuda but operates from Hong Kong. The company is owned by private equity firm Permira. Global Eagle has taken extra capacity on ABS-6 C-band, ABS-3A C-band and ABS-2 in Ku-band beams. GEE […]

May 11, 2021By Chris Forrester

Gogo goes data unlimited

In-flight connectivity and entertainment company Gogo is offering an unlimited access flat-fee subscription for its business aviation customers. But the cost might be considered a ‘millionaires only’ at $9,995 per month. Now, providing you own an expensive executive jet which might have cost millions or even tens of millions to buy, then $10,000 a month […]

May 5, 2021By Chris Forrester

Eutelsat leases Ku satellite to Global Eagle

In-flight communications and entertainment business Global Eagle has leased Ku-band capacity on Eutelsat’s 7A craft. The satellite, launched in 2004 (and with a minimum design life of 15 years) was originally called Eutelsat W3A. When new it had 38 Ku-band transponders. It was renamed Eutelsat 7A in 2011 and operated from 7 degrees East. Global […]

May 4, 2021By Chris Forrester