Story ID: 
Gogo Announces Global Broadband Service at EBACE
By: Lisa Valladares
Caption: Gogo will launch the first global broadband service in business aviation to use an electronically steered antenna (ESA) on a low earth orbit (LEO) network
Word Count: 692
Gogo Business Aviation is going global.
At the European Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition (EBACE) in Geneva, Switzerland, Gogo announced it will launch the first global broadband service in business aviation to use an electronically steered antenna (ESA) on a low earth orbit (LEO) satellite network.
Partnering with Hughes Network Systems on an antenna assembly exclusive to Gogo that will operate on a LEO constellation from OneWeb, Gogo leapt onto the global stage with a system that will have an impact on business aviation like no other satellite connectivity service before.
The reason: unparalleled global service in a very small form factor. Gogo says its system will be small enough for installation on the fuselage of aircraft from super light jets and large turboprops to ultralong-range jets.
(from l-r) Gogo held an event to announce global broadband at EBACE. On stage for the announcement were Ben Griffin, VP Mobility for OneWeb, Reza Rasoulian, VP for Hughes, Shuaib Shahid, director of international sales for Gogo, Sergio Aguirre, president and COO for Gogo.
“What we announced at EBACE is a fast and affordable broadband system that will provide best-in-class performance on the broadest range of aircraft in business aviation,” said Sergio Aguirre, Gogo Business Aviation’s president and chief operating officer. “We want to give everyone in business aviation the ability to have an exceptional broadband experience regardless of where they fly, or what size aircraft they fly.”
To access the network, the new service will require just one Gogo AVANCE LRU inside the aircraft, which means existing AVANCE customers will only have to install the ESA antenna, with a single cable for power in, and a single cable for data out.
“We’ve designed the system to reduce costs by simplifying the installation,” Aguirre continued. “We have long delivered affordable, high-quality connectivity, and award-winning customer service to aircraft owners in North America, and now we will bring those same benefits to all aircraft owners in the rest of the world.”
The OneWeb network will deliver performance comparable to terrestrial broadband services, with latency that is significantly less than geostationary satellites (GEOs) can provide today. Gogo says that dozens of users will be able to perform data-heavy interactive online activities such as conducting simultaneous live video conferences, accessing cloud solutions such as Office365, watching live TV, or streaming video applications like TikTok.
“When comparing GEO and LEO satellite offerings, there are several notable differences,” said Aguirre. “OneWeb’s network is very different, with a different technology of satellites and antennas. It will be faster with less latency, and the equipment will be smaller, lighter and will cost much less – which is why, after many years studying the best satellite technology available, we are delighted to team with OneWeb for this offering.”
Gogo’s LEO service will include one fuselage-mounted unit comprised of an integrated antenna, modem, power supply and RF converter. It will only require 28 volts of DC power, will not rely on aircraft-positioning data, and will include an AVANCE router.
For customers with an AVANCE L3 or L5 system in North America, the AVANCE platform’s unique multi-bearer capability will allow Gogo to combine capacity from OneWeb’s LEO satellite network with Gogo’s ATG network to deliver even higher capacity than LEO alone can provide, according to the company.
OneWeb’s LEO constellation is fully funded and will consist of 648 satellites, 428 of which have already been launched. It will provide true global service, including coverage over the poles. The Gogo broadband service will be available soon after the OneWeb network is fully launched and commercially available.
Gogo says it will provide global customer support through its network of 118 authorized dealers, including 24 that operate outside the United States, and serve Gogo’s more than 4,500 narrowband satellite customers today operating in 83 countries around the world. Gogo is a factory option at every major business aircraft manufacturer.