Air-to-Ground Network Up and Running Following Successful Expansion Efforts

SmartSky Networks has announced that their mobile broadband network is live from coast to coast with high-speed inflight broadband internet. 

The company's air-to-ground network is composed of hundreds of sites throughout the continental United States leveraging the unlicensed 2.4GHz band. Using it as a base, SmartSky combines 4 and 5G tech to optimize scalability, transmission range, and power to provide reliable, low-latency connections even over congested areas with high interference. That consistency is a hallmark of their service, according to SmartSky president Ryan Stone. 

"As we complete entry-into-service, our initial customers are flying and using the service to send data off the aircraft as easily as they stream it on. In concert, our world-class engineering team is using our software-defined network infrastructure to continuously fine tune for optimal performance and coverage.”

The company's use of unlicensed portions of the radio spectrum allow them to provide consistent, responsive data flow to and from aircraft for any connectivity purpose, whether supporting crew with updated flight planning information, assisting operations personnel in tracking fleet assets, or granting passengers an uninterrupted stream of business availability. SmartSky has been busy adding a bevy of STCs for aircraft integration with most popular business aircraft, with plenty more well on the way. Operators can select the amount of data they desire with monthly data plans, whether they want 5GB or unlimited. Much like other connectivity providers, SmartSky offers discounts for pre-payments and multi-year contracts. 

FMI: www.smartsky.com