IFC
What to look forward to at World Satellite Business Week 2018
Big questions that will hopefully find answers at this year’s conference include: how many satellite manufacturers and launch providers can the market support? Do markets like the Internet of Things and inflight connectivity hold as much promise as satellite operators hope? And, of course, what to satellite operators actually want?
Gogo considers splitting company, overhauls business plan amid financial pressures
Gogo, an inflight connectivity provider leasing capacity on dozens of satellites, bulldozed its old business plan July 13 amid looming concerns over unprofitability, encroaching debt deadlines, and a potential buyout.
Global Eagle looks abroad for new aviation business
Satellite connectivity provider Global Eagle Entertainment on April 2 detailed three nearly complete international connectivity deals with airlines in Europe and Asia that have the potential to increase its number of connected aircraft by a third.
Global Eagle raises $150 million, appoints new CEO
Satellite connectivity provider Global Eagle Entertainment on March 8 announced $150 million in fresh capital from a private investment firm and the appointment of its second chief executive in 13 months.
Viasat says ViaSat-2 business plan intact despite antenna glitch
Fleet operator ViaSat’s newest satellite could lose around 15 percent of its intended throughput due to an antenna problem discovered after launch.
Global Eagle submits overdue SEC filings, details $223 million loss
Satellite connectivity and content provider Global Eagle Entertainment on Jan. 31 handed in the last of its late financial documents to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and expects the Nasdaq stock exchange will soon halt its delisting process.
Q&A | Thales’ Jeff Goodman on making the jump from inflight entertainment to connectivity
Not so long ago, satellite operators treated inflight connectivity as a niche market — a good way to sell off capacity not already soaked up by more lucrative television broadcast, government and maritime customers.
SmartSky’s Air-to-Ground Network slips to 2018
Inflight connectivity startup SmartSky Networks has pushed back the start date for its terrestrial air-to-ground network from late this year to mid-2018, the company said Aug. 3.
Thales FlytLive gets FCC approval for Ka-band aero-connectivity network in US
A decision by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission to allow the use of Thales FlytLive aeronautical terminals opens the market to a fourth competitive reseller in what is currently the largest regional inflight connectivity market.
Airbus says future aircraft might support multiple IFC satellite antennas at once
Aircraft manufacturer Airbus is considering ways to add multiple antennas to planes in order to let different satellite inflight connectivity providers serve the same aircraft simultaneously.
Panasonic Avionics: “jury’s still out” on profitability of in-flight connectivity
Panasonic Avionics, one of the largest providers of satellite-enabled broadband to aircraft, says the long-term viability of inflight connectivity as a moneymaker remains an open question.
SES says it could build the world’s most powerful satellite, but won’t
Global fleet operator SES says it could join the race to build the world’s highest-throughput satellites if it wanted to, but doesn’t believe such spacecraft will be effective at serving customers.
Gogo says it wants no parts of satellite ownership
In-flight connectivity provider Gogo says it has zero interest in owning a satellite or satellites when it can lease capacity at will.
