Skift Take
This infrastructure is supported by demand for many applications beyond aviation, but the business benefits of connected aircraft build a compelling case for airlines.
Faster Wi-Fi speeds are coming to the skies, bringing high-capacity broadband along for the ride, with global infrastructure programs expected to reach critical mass over the next five years.
Like the evolution of connectivity services on the ground, the delay in the air has been one of equipment and infrastructure. Unlike services on the ground, getting fast (or any) connections at 30,000 feet requires more than fiber optic cables.
Satellite launches and expanded air-to-ground mobile tower infrastructure are the only ways to get Wi-Fi to aircraft, and airlines have to be persuaded to install radome antennas on their aircraft which can receive those signals. With infrastructure still evolving, and data transmitted on a range of radio frequencies (bands), knowing which is the right antenna to install has been a challenge for airlines.
New antennas have become steerable, turning to find the ideal band available (Ka/Ku), or making hybrid air-to-ground and satellite connections. This means that aircraft will find v
