Deutsche Telekom and Inmarsat Partner to Deliver European Aviation Network

The new service from Lufthansa and its technology partner Inmarsat is based on broadband satellite technology from Inmarsat’s Global Xpress network (Ka-band).

One of the first airlines to trial the service will be Lufthansa, offering satellite-based connectivity in 2016 and flight testing the new solution in 2017.

Inmarsat’s tech will trialled by Lufthansa early next year, but the full European Aviation Network won’t be up and running until 2017 – so it might be a while before you can update Facebook and check out Instagram from 50,000 feet.

For Lufthansa, which will be the first carrier to offer the network – it has done survey work in which two-thirds of customers say good connectivity will influence the airline they choose.

The solution involves combining an LTE-based ground network with a satellite network to offer air travellers high-speed in-flight Wi-Fi.

Inmarsat, Lufthansa and Deutsche Telekom said the ground network of 300 LTE sites will have an effective signal-transmission range of 80 kilometers, compared to 10 kilometers or less for conventional LTE sites. The switching between the satellite and the ground will be automatically managed by the cabin systems, creating no impact or interference with the service delivered on board.

The Lufthansa Group is a global aviation group with a total of around 540 subsidiaries and equity investments worldwide. All segments occupy a leading position in their respective markets.

Lufthansa Technik will integrate all systems and components into the aircraft thanks to its many years of experience in the field of plane modification. By 2025, Lufthansa will receive 272 new aircraft worth about United States dollars 46 billion in list prices on order. Four in ten Internet users would like to surf the Web while on board a plane, German digital-industry group Bitkom said in August, citing a poll it conducted with 1,014 people in Germany.