Gogo Business Aviation is extending the coverage area of its 5G network into Canada, the in-flight connectivity provider announced today during the Aircraft Electronics Association’s annual Convention and Tradeshow in Orlando, Florida. Having completed a critical design review of the 5G chip earlier this year, Gogo anticipates that its 5G service will launch commercially in the contiguous U.S. in the fourth quarter and expand to Canada next year.
“Building on our nationwide network in the contiguous United States, expanding into Canada will allow our customers to realize enhanced in-flight connectivity in more destinations and routes where they fly,” said Gogo president and COO Sergio Aguirre. “We have been planning for this and I know our network deployment and field operations teams are ready to execute.”
Gogo’s 5G service is expected to provide speeds of about 25 Mbps on average, with peak speeds between 75 and 80 Mbps, facilitating heavy-data applications such as videoconferencing, live TV, and gaming.
The service is provided through Gogo’s Avance L5 platform, which enables customers who have invested ahead of time to easily upgrade to 5G. In addition, Avance users will have an easy upgrade path to Gogo’s global low-earth-orbit satcom solution in the future, the company said.
At the AEA Convention, Gogo and Duncan Aviation also announced new airframes for which Duncan is developing supplemental type certificates (STCs) for installation of Gogo 5G systems. The STCs will cover Bombardier's Challenger 300/350 and 604/605/650 and Global 5000, XRS, 6000, and 6500; Gulfstream GIV/GIV-X, G300/G400, and G350/G450; and Citation 560XL/XLS/XLS+ models. More aircraft will be add to the STC list, according to Gogo, "as first-article aircraft are identified."