Gogo announcing deal with satellite operator SES to speed up its Wi-Fi
Feb 23, 2016, 9:12 am
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Gogo announcing deal with satellite operator SES to speed up its Wi-Fi
On the heels of the AA lawsuit last week, Gogo inked a deal with satellite operator SES to significantly speed up its service. For those tired of 0.25 Mbps service (as I am), this should address it nicely, starting in 2017.
Gogo Signs Deal with Satellite Provider SES to Boost In-Flight Wi-Fi Speed
Above appeared in Frequent Business Traveler, where I serve as Editorial Director
Gogo Signs Deal with Satellite Provider SES to Boost In-Flight Wi-Fi Speed
In-flight Wi-Fi provider Gogo announced a deal with global satellite operator SES that will boost in-flight Internet service over the United States including Alaska and Hawaii, Canada, Mexico, as well as Central and South America, the Caribbean, and the North Atlantic.
The agreement is for capacity on two high-powered satellites scheduled to go into service in 2017 as well as for capacity on an additional satellite, also scheduled to launch in 2017, which will provide service over Asia, the Middle East, North Africa, and Russia.
Gogo, which was the first company to offer domestic in-flight Internet service in the United States, has struggled in recent years to compete with newer, faster services. Its air-to-ground technology, installed first on American Airlines aircraft and later on Delta’s as well as those of ten other carriers, only functions when flying over land, has limited capacity, and offers relatively low speed service.
The agreement is for capacity on two high-powered satellites scheduled to go into service in 2017 as well as for capacity on an additional satellite, also scheduled to launch in 2017, which will provide service over Asia, the Middle East, North Africa, and Russia.
Gogo, which was the first company to offer domestic in-flight Internet service in the United States, has struggled in recent years to compete with newer, faster services. Its air-to-ground technology, installed first on American Airlines aircraft and later on Delta’s as well as those of ten other carriers, only functions when flying over land, has limited capacity, and offers relatively low speed service.
Last edited by gfunkdave; Feb 26, 2016 at 6:15 pm Reason: Spelled out disclaimer and adjusted size for readability. Added more of the article so the post can more stand on its own
Feb 24, 2016, 1:54 pm
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<snip>
SES has stressed its links are designed to maximize redundancy and cost-savings partly through lighter equipment and lower-drag antennas, while ensuring swift, high-quality connections.
Gogo has said the new SES capacity won’t require certain airlines to make any equipment modifications, thereby reducing implementation costs and avoiding downtime for aircraft.
<snip>
SES has stressed its links are designed to maximize redundancy and cost-savings partly through lighter equipment and lower-drag antennas, while ensuring swift, high-quality connections.
Gogo has said the new SES capacity won’t require certain airlines to make any equipment modifications, thereby reducing implementation costs and avoiding downtime for aircraft.
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Feb 25, 2016, 4:24 pm
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Additional details:
Travel Weekly - WiFi provider Gogo in deal to increase bandwidth of its satellite-based service
Excepts:
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Once the service is up it will be immediately available on the approximately 200 airplanes that Gogo currently has equipped with its Ku-band satellite service. In addition, Gogo said it has taken orders on its enhanced two-antennae, 2Ku service for approximately 800 planes, including 250 from Delta, and they too will receive the High Throughput beam without conversion.
Gogo, which controls more than 70% of the domestic market share of airline WiFi, operates the majority of its system on air-to-ground antennae that are only functional once a plane reaches 10,000 feet. Planes equipped with air-to-ground WiFi won't be able to make use of the High Throughput system without a conversion.
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Gogo rolled out its 2Ku service late last year on Aeromexico. The WiFi provider says 2Ku offers a bandwidth of 70 megabits per second (Mbps) and that with High Throughout that figure would increase to more than 100 Mbps per second. Planes equipped with the single-antenna Ku service will get bandwidth of 50 Mbps with the High Throughput service, Nolan said.
<snip>
Once the service is up it will be immediately available on the approximately 200 airplanes that Gogo currently has equipped with its Ku-band satellite service. In addition, Gogo said it has taken orders on its enhanced two-antennae, 2Ku service for approximately 800 planes, including 250 from Delta, and they too will receive the High Throughput beam without conversion.
Gogo, which controls more than 70% of the domestic market share of airline WiFi, operates the majority of its system on air-to-ground antennae that are only functional once a plane reaches 10,000 feet. Planes equipped with air-to-ground WiFi won't be able to make use of the High Throughput system without a conversion.
<snip>
Gogo rolled out its 2Ku service late last year on Aeromexico. The WiFi provider says 2Ku offers a bandwidth of 70 megabits per second (Mbps) and that with High Throughout that figure would increase to more than 100 Mbps per second. Planes equipped with the single-antenna Ku service will get bandwidth of 50 Mbps with the High Throughput service, Nolan said.
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