Friday, March 8, 2024
Viasat, Inc. (NASDAQ: VSAT) and Deutsche Telekom have announced today an expansion of the ground network for Viasat’s acclaimed European Aviation Network (EAN), aimed at bolstering in-flight broadband service in the Eastern Mediterranean region. This move comes in response to increasing demand from airline passengers. Three new ground stations have been deployed in the area to complement over 300 existing ground network antenna sites across Europe, ensuring enhanced capacity for the EAN’s satellite coverage.
The bolstered capacity will be particularly advantageous for passengers traveling to and from Cyprus with the renowned Greek airline, AEGEAN. AEGEAN introduced its in-flight connectivity service, powered by EAN, in 2022 to elevate the onboard experience for passengers. Since the beginning of this year, AEGEAN has been offering complimentary Wi-Fi access to all its passengers.
Since its launch, the in-flight connectivity service has been enjoyed by over one million passengers. The service is being installed on AEGEAN’s Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft, covering both the existing fleet and future deliveries.
Shameem Hashmi, VP, Aviation Strategy at Viasat, said: “EAN continues to deliver a great in-flight connectivity solution for certain fleets operating in Europe and we’re proud to augment the satellite capacity for passengers travelling to and from Cyprus with AEGEAN. We’ve been thoroughly impressed by AEGEAN’s commitment to enhancing its passenger experience however possible. We know that reliable, high-speed broadband connectivity at 30,000 feet is crucial, and now, passengers travelling on every domestic route offered by AEGEAN can benefit.”
Rolf Nafziger, Senior Vice President of Deutsche Telekom Global Carrier, said: “With Viasat, we launched the European Aviation Network with a vision to bring outstanding passenger connectivity to Europe’s aviation industry. It is amazing to see it grow from strength to strength in terms of customers and passenger usage. One of EAN’s key advantages for airline customers is that it’s future-proof as we can adapt and expand our ground network at any time based on actual requirements. We proved this a couple of years ago with the North Sea expansion, and once again now, when EAN’s latest customer AEGEAN had such a need, which we were able to fulfil together with Viasat and Deutsche Telekom’s subsidiary in Greece, Cosmote.”
Dimitris Gerogiannis, Chief Executive Officer at AEGEAN, said: “The cooperation with EAN is a significant milestone for AEGEAN as it enabled us to further accelerate our product and offer an enhanced and always connected in-flight experience. With this new infrastructure advancement, we can now offer the same seamless in-flight connectivity offered in all our network flights, also for the flights to and from Cyprus, that occasionally have faced some slower speeds. Offering high-speed connectivity to every passenger, on each of our flights, fulfils our promise to all passengers traveling with AEGEAN and I am really pleased that through our partnership with Viasat and Deutsche Telekom, we are able to keep you all connected in the air.”
EAN stands as a distinctive demonstration of European prowess in both technology and regulation. It provides European travelers with a cutting-edge in-flight connectivity (IFC) experience for the majority of intra-European flights, offering broadband services capable of supporting high-bandwidth applications like streaming and real-time usage. EAN achieves this by integrating Viasat’s S-band satellite coverage with a network of complementary ground components managed by Deutsche Telekom.
Employing small, lightweight, and aerodynamically efficient terminals installed on aircraft, the EAN service not only ensures significant cost reductions but also contributes to sustainability initiatives.
Saturday, April 27, 2024
Saturday, April 27, 2024
