High-speed broadband in flight now available with soft launch
Global mobile satellite communications Insmarat has announced its next generation in-flight broadband service, GX for Aviation, has gone live under a ‘soft launch’ phase with Lufthansa.
GX for Aviation is the first in-flight connectivity solution provided through a single operator. It is meant to offer an onboard connectivity experience on par with broadband services available on the ground.
Lufthansa will commence commercial passenger services with GX for Aviation next month. Other customers include Singapore Airlines and Air Astana.
“After several years of detailed planning and development, this is the moment that Inmarsat, and indeed the global aviation industry, has been waiting for. GX for Aviation is now live and offering unparalleled in-flight broadband to passengers," Leo Mondale, president of Inmarsat Aviation, said: "We have moved from systems integration and testing to rolling out the most robust and comprehensive global connectivity solution for airlines across the world."
Inmarsat was awarded a contract in October 2015 to provide in-flight connectivity services for passengers onboard Lufthansa’s European continental fleet of more than 150 aircraft. The contract formalized the start of a 10-year strategic partnership between Lufthansa Group and Inmarsat, and provided a framework to extend the service to other airline brands in the Group.
Billions of dollars and years of engineering have been invested to ensure that GX for Aviation delivers on-the-ground levels of connectivity and uninterrupted access to the applications they use day-to-day, including email, web browsing, social media, video and music streaming, and online shopping, among others, the company said.