It’s been years in the making, but in-flight Wi-Fi is about to become much faster and more reliable.
That’s thanks to the new ViaSat-3 satellite that finally launched into space Sunday night at 8:26 p.m. from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Now that the satellite is on its way to its final orbit — a process that will take just a few weeks, possibly June or July — all eyes are now on the benefits. benefits that ViaSat-3 will bring. Perhaps the most important benefit is the ability to add in-flight internet users.
ViaSat, known as one of the leading providers of satellite-based inflight connectivity, is equipped on nearly 2,000 aircraft worldwide. It is available on planes operated by American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue and United Airlines.
Much America’s domestic fleet equipped with ViaSat; Delta already has fleets of Airbus A319 and A321 aircraft, as well as fleets of Boeing 737-800, 737-900 and 757-200 aircraft, configured with ViaSat. Delta promises to bring this upgraded connection (and free connection) for its entire main fleet by the end of next year.
JetBlue was the first US airline to offer Free Wi-Fi on all its planesand they are connected to the ViaSat network. Southwest has also promised to use ViaSat on future delivery of Boeing 737 MAX.
Even as Wi-Fi has become an important part of the in-flight experience in recent years, the technology hasn’t necessarily kept up with the advancements we’ve seen on the ground. Nowadays, flyers expect to stream content and browse social media without any lag or interruption, just like they do at home.
However, existing infrastructure and legacy satellite networks don’t necessarily provide that speed and throughput. This is especially true when a large number of passengers are trying to use the internet at the same time.
That’s where ViaSat-3 comes in.
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These upgraded satellites are unique in that they are the highest capacity satellites ever built: They deliver a throughput power of over 1 Terabit per second (Tbps) per satellite. Additionally, with the ability to move this capacity between beams on the satellite, ViaSat can essentially boost the signal during times of peak demand in certain areas.
What it really means for travelers is that ViaSat will be able to allocate capacity as needed to its connected fleet throughout the day.
When the clock strikes 9 a.m. on the East Coast, for example, the company can increase the bandwidth available to jets flying over the largest hubs in the region, including New York, Boston, Atlanta and Charlotte. . At the same time, it could shift some capacity away from planes flying around Los Angeles and San Francisco because it’s only 6 a.m. on the West Coast — right at the start of its first departure each morning.
All of this means that, now that the company’s third-generation satellite is on its way to its final orbit, on-board Wi-Fi is about to become faster and more reliable if you fly on an aircraft equipped with ViaSat.
The first region to experience this increase in connectivity will be the Americas. ViaSat plans to add two more third-generation satellites, one for the EMEA region (Europe, Middle East and Africa) and one for the Asia Pacific region. Once completed, the entire constellation will provide worldwide coverage, which ViaSat does not currently offer.
ViaSat began inventing this third generation of satellites in 2015, but the launch has been plagued with delays in implementation.
As competitive pressure forces airlines to offer free Wi-Fi, this upgraded technology is sure to help allay any concerns about bandwidth shortages.
While ViaSat was recently the leading provider of satellite-based in-flight Wi-Fi, the company faces stiff competition from Starlink by Elon Musk. Starlink recently launched on JSX and will equipped on Hawaiian Airlines jet in the months and years to come.
Earlier this year, I flew on one of JSX’s Starlink powered jetsand I did blow away by the speed, reliability and performance of the network.
I had no trouble connecting five of Apple’s most powerful devices, and downloading programs and music albums took seconds. I was even able to hold a Zoom meeting and a FaceTime call without any lag or buffering.
Regardless of how you feel about turning a metal tube traveling 500 miles per hour at 30,000 feet in the sky into a mobile office, one thing is for sure: The technology that enables this is only a fraction of the time. A few weeks until the ViaSat network in the Americas.
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