Inflight Connectivity Provider Ceases Business Operations

Tough Times... Effective August 16, 2024, SmartSky Networks has ceased all business operations. The provider ultimately stated that they were unable to continue to finance their mission.

SmartSky Networks went public with their in-flight connectivity mission in 2014. After several delays, their mobile broadband network officially went live towards the end of 2021. Installations in turboprops and business jets began shortly after. They patented and employed their own ‘beamforming’ technology, which was meant to give each aircraft their own beam that they could switch out with others. SmartSky claimed that this method ensured constant high-speed connectivity for every aircraft on the network.

In February 2022, SmartSky filed a complaint against a rival IFC provider. The company, Gogo Business Aviation, was accused of patent infringement, specifically regarding their beam handoff method. Following this, SmartSky motioned for a preliminary injunction to prevent Gogo from continuing production or distribution of its service. The courts rejected the injunction on January 31.

SmartSky and Gogo networks both used a specific ‘hard’ handoff method, meaning that connection with the previous station is broken before attaching with a new one. They held a Markman hearing in order to interpret the wording of the ‘947 family of patents used by Smartsky. The case’s judge asserted that the patents associated with the case covered both hard and soft handoffs, which agreed with SmartSky’s infringement claim. A trial is scheduled for April 2025.

To announce the company’s retirement, SmartSky released a statement on email and its website. It reads:

“While our products were groundbreaking and we were growing our market share, we ultimately could not secure the necessary financing to continue our mission. We hope that SmartSky’s achievements have inspired others to dream big, push boundaries, and pursue transformative ideas to reshape the future.”

Questions about their decision are currently being accepted through the Smartsky email.

FMI: www.smartskynetworks.com