Eutelsat OneWeb, the newly merged entity of Eutelsat Communications and OneWeb, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Airbus Corporate Jets (ACJ) to offer satellite internet connectivity on the current and future fleet of VIP aircraft. Before the merger, OneWeb completed its planned constellation of LEO (low earth orbit) satellites to offer broadband connectivity to consumers via space globally. Now, the ACJ aircraft will be equipped with the technology that will enable customers to use the internet whenever they are inside the aircraft.
In a release, the company said that consumers will get internet connectivity of the same kind they experience in their offices or homes. The MoU was signed between the companies at NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) in Las Vegas. The partnership will see ACJ aircraft utilising the ACJ Connect Link to offer internet connectivity to the customers onboard.
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Regis Broutee, VP of ACJ Services & Customer Support Furthermore, said, "Through this ground-breaking agreement, ACJ is ensuring that current and future discerning owners and passengers will experience unrivaled high-speed internet in the air, no matter where they are flying."
Jason Sperry, Head of Business Aviation at Eutelsat OneWeb, said, "The low latency and higher speed that is inherent in OneWeb’s latest generation Low Earth Orbit network, will facilitate a broad range of applications for passenger productivity and entertainment that to date have been out of reach while inflight."
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Note that the ACJ Connect Link will be offered to the customers on all Airbus Corporate Jet Platforms in November 2024. This development comes just when Elon Musk-owned Starlink announced its partnership with Qatar Airways to offer internet connectivity to passengers onboard its aircraft. One of the best applications of satellite internet is offering connectivity inside aircraft, which is impossible through the mobile networks when the aircraft is in the air.
