Inmarsat's deal with Cobham SATCOM to deliver 'connected aircraft' in Europe

Passengers flying across Europe will soon have access to high-speed internet thanks to a signed deal between Inmarsat and Cobham SATCOM that will see Cobham design and produce a mobile satellite services (MSS) terminal.

The terminal will be part of Inmarsat’s European Aviation Network high-speed in-flight connectivity solution, unveiled earlier this month as the first aviation passenger connectivity solution in Europe to combine an advanced satellite network and LTE-based ground network.

The satellite network will be operated by Inmarsat, while the LTE-based ground network will be run by Deutsche Telekom.

Commercial and business airlines will soon be able to offer high-speed internet access to passengers during flights across the continent’s high-traffic flight paths, using Inmarsat’s 30 MHz (2 x 15 MHz) S-band spectrum allocation in all 28 EU member states.

The European Aviation Network will allow aircraft to switch automatically from Inmarsat’s satellite connectivity to Deutsche Telekom’s terrestrial component using an onboard network communicator, without any impact or interference.

“Although airlines have understood the importance of offering passengers advanced in-flight connectivity for some time, suitable technology has not been available to meet the needs of modern travellers until now,” said Leo Mondale, president of Inmarsat Aviation.

“The European Aviation Network will be the first solution to provide consistent, reliable, high-quality broadband across Europe, even during peak hours and over busy flight paths.”

The company said the new terminal will use the latest advances in Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN) technology to enable a direct connection between aircraft and Inmarsat’s S-band satellite, which is currently being manufactured by Thales Alenia Space.

Cobham SATCOM will also be responsible for updating the Inmarsat BGAN ground infrastructure to accommodate S-band operation.

Kim Gram, VP aeronautical business unit, Cobham SATCOM, said the company is excited to play a role in developing a generation of new technologies that will meet the continued push for broadband in airlines.

“As part of the European Aviation Network, Cobham SATCOM will build on the original BGAN ground infrastructure that we established with Inmarsat, resulting in improved in-flight connectivity and communication applications for more passengers,” said Gram.

“Combined with the success of our established AVIATOR portfolio of compact systems and new AVIATOR S product family, this new agreement with Inmarsat is another significant step forward for the ‘connected aircraft’.”