Panasonic Avionics Corporation is set to expand its global connectivity network with a new GEO (geostationary) Ku-band satellite capacity.
The GEO satellite capacity will deliver high-speed inflight internet connections for airlines and their passengers.
Panasonic Avionics is adding HTS (High Throughput Satellites) and XTS (Extreme Throughput Satellites) to its connectivity network to enhance coverage across North, Central and South America; the North and South Atlantic Ocean; Europe; the Middle East; Arabian Sea; Africa and the Indian ocean.
The inflight entertainment supplier is also introducing additional HTS capacity over China and Japan, building on existing connectivity investments in the region.
There will be an increased capacity of 50%; accelerated speeds of up to 75 Mbps per aircraft through HTS and up to 200 Mbps through XTS satellites; network coverage across continents and oceans; a phased deployment plan, due to be completed in 2023; and no changes to hardware or software.
Panasonic Avionics’ inflight connectivity services have been chosen by more than 70 airlines worldwide.
John Wade, Vice President of Panasonic Avionics’ Inflight Connectivity Business Unit, said: “For the past few years, we have seen exponential growth in the adoption of inflight connectivity. Passengers want faster internet speeds for traditional services like email, web browsing, social media and messaging, and they are increasingly looking to stream content, play games inflight, and use collaborative cloud-based applications.
“This major expansion of our global connectivity network will ensure that Panasonic Avionics consistently exceeds the growing demand for these kinds of enhanced inflight experiences. This enables us to add new capacity quickly and easily when and where it’s needed, ensuring we can deliver an advanced and virtually uninterrupted service. The result is a better experience for passengers and higher Net Promoter Scores (NPS) for airlines.”
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