ARINC Plans to Expand SKYLink Broadband Coverage over North Atlantic

ARINC is testing Ku-band satellite coverage on North Atlantic flight tracks and plans to expand its SKYLink broadband communications offering there.

ARINC Direct, which offers SKYLink to business jet operators, expects the expanded service to be available in June.  It will include much of northern Canada and south Greenland, in addition to the North Atlantic.  ARINC is currently verifying SKYLink's signal strength and geographic footprint over the region after a new Loral SkyNet satellite was activated on May 14^th.

The new coverage will allow SKYLink's European and North American customers to enjoy seamless broadband communications in flight all the way from Eastern Europe to the U.S. Pacific coast - a distance of more than 8,000 miles, ARINC says.

Joe Inglisa, who directs ARINC's SKYLink program, said SKYLink previously offered its customers Swift64 service over the North Atlantic routes, but that connectivity is slower and more costly than broadband. "Most SKYLink customers in Europe and North America already have roaming contracts, and the new Ku-band connectivity will actually save them money," Mr. Inglisa said. "The rates are less than half, the connection is significantly faster, and the broadband connection will handle multiple users on the same aircraft."

ARINC is looking into adding further SKYLink coverage. "We are evaluating the demand for in-flight broadband services in other regions and for a greater range of corporate aircraft as well," Mr. Inglisa added. "We expect to add coverage in the Caribbean and portions of South and Central America later this year."  05-18-2007.

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