With Capabilities Confirmed, Gogo Launches 5G Network

Gogo has confirmed that its 5G air-to-ground (ATG) connectivity network is ready to go for North American customers. Confirmation comes after completing more than 30 hours of flight tests across nearly 20 routes to prove that its 5G tower network will deliver high-speed, low-latency connectivity to operators flying in North America.

During testing, the network provided broadband speeds of more than 80 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload, allowing streaming and internet browsing simultaneously. Gogo has onboarded its first paying customer, and a further 450 pre-provisioned aircraft are set to begin service next month.

“We talk a lot about milestones, and this is really an exceptional one for Gogo,” according to CEO Chris Moore. “While we have had delays, we are now focused on delivering a brand-new broadband ATG service to our customers that will satisfy data-hungry flyers within North America as they access streaming services on the new ATG service.”

Gogo added that 28 supplemental type certificates have been secured for the installation of the 5G system, and another five are anticipated to be completed by the end of this year. This will cover all major aircraft types operating in the Continental U.S., spanning a possible 7,500 aircraft. Available 5G service plans range from $3,500 per month for 25 GB to $8,000 per month for unlimited data (including 50GB of Galileo satcom data).