Telstra trials 4G sites for aircraft comms

Telstra has built four mobile communications sites to test 4G connectivity with aircraft in flight along the Sydney-Melbourne air corridor.

Called Skinet, Telstra’s proposed system aims to extend LTE coverage into the skies.

The company has built four mobile communications sites that provide coverage for most of the route between the two capitals, which is one of the busiest in the world.

Writing on the Telstra News blog, Mike Wright, Telstra group managing director, networks, wrote: “In order to test the capability, we borrowed some spectrum to run a number of test flights. We used a number of different aircraft fitted out with special terminals to pick up the signal and we were able to successfully establish and maintain data connections, achieving a maximum data throughput of 15 Mbps, with an average throughput around 10 Mbps.

“These test flights are encouraging and are a significant step in the development of a potential Skinet network that might one day deliver high-speed broadband connectivity to a range of aircraft-based applications that could extend from commuter use to a range of remote monitoring and control applications.”

Telstra plans to do more tests later this year, to explore the economics of extending such LTE coverage nationwide.

Shark fin antennas on the underside of an aircraft. Courtesy Telstra.