Kristen Smith
Business and government aviation customers of the Intelsat Flex satellite network can now access connectivity speeds of up to 50 Mbps, following network enhancements and trials using Satcom Direct’s Plane Simple Ku band antenna system.
The in-flight connectivity service will be enhanced further in the future with additional network modifications, Intelsat said Thursday.
According to Chris Moore, president of Satcom Direct, customers do not need to book maintenance slots to provide their passengers with the enhanced service. The improvements are available to them without hardware or software changes, eliminating the need for aircraft downtime, he added.
Mark Rasmussen, Intelsat’s senior vice president of business development, said the upgrade was made to meet and exceed the fast and secure connectivity requirements of business and government aircraft.
Intelsat announced the network update after completing the U.S. Army’s first satellite communication as a managed service pilot early in October under a multivendor contract.
During the 12-month pilot, Intelsat provided the Army with multi-orbit satellite communications support via its Flex network for geostationary connections and low Earth orbit satellite systems to enable worldwide coverage.
The connectivity offering was tested in various conditions and terrain, including severe cold weather, high-humidity climates, and dry and wet conditions.
