Your long flight is about 5 hours away and you’re rushing to get work done, loading up your e-reader with books to read on the flight, packing an eye mask and earplugs to catch up on sleep. Do not worry; this may not be necessary as your flight can continue to keep you connected to the in-flight Wi-Fi. Go ahead and send emails from the flight, download your books to kindle and be sure to set reminders to catch up on sleep lest you forget with all the hyper-connectivity.
Airplane internet systems can be of two types – Airborne (ATG) or satellite-based Wi-Fi systems. As you may have guessed, the ATG system uses the same cell phone towers used when on land for communication. As you might guess, this is inefficient in some respects – There is no connection while at sea, it takes longer because the signal has to travel to the ground first and then back to the satellite. Wi-Fi speeds with ATG are typically slow, around 3 Mbps. In-flight Wi-Fi that uses satellites for communication can use either Geostationary (GEO) satellites, which is an older technology, or Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite internet providers such as Starlink or OneWeb, is newer technology. In comparison, LEO satellites have lower transmit power but have lower latency because the distance the signal travels is much shorter.
Satellite-based internet can use Ku band and Ka band. Ku band uses frequencies between 12-18 GHz while Ka band uses frequencies between 26.5-40 GHz. Higher frequencies can mean more available bandwidth. Ku-band offers wider, more cost-effective and more reliable coverage. Ka-band is a leading and emerging technology that offers higher speeds but limited geographic coverage due to the absence of compatible satellites. The advantage of Ka-band is that it has high data transfer speeds, smaller antennas and other components needed for on-board Wi-Fi, thereby reducing fuel costs and aircraft design.
German airline Lufthansa was one of the first to offer in-flight Internet on its flights. Emirates has popularized in-flight Wi-Fi, especially on its double-decker A380 aircraft. Emirates currently uses SITA OnAir for connectivity and offers free internet to all users registered to their loyalty program. The airline plans to offer high-speed in-flight broadband powered by Inmarsat’s GX Aviation on the new Airbus A350 aircraft it has ordered.
I recently used in-flight Internet on a Japan Airlines Tokyo to Delhi flight powered by Panasonic Avionics and using the Ku band. The first hour is free for all passengers. Connectivity was stable and I was able to get some work done on the flight. Although speeds were limited to a few Mbps, I was able to send a few messages, update emails, and browse a few websites.
Starlink, the world’s largest satellite-based internet service provider, is operating on several routes and has just announced Starlink on Qatar Airways’ Boeing 777 fleet. What’s special about Starlink is the ability for users to enjoy high-speed Internet with low latency at an altitude of 35,000 feet. This means you can watch videos, download files, and work seamlessly throughout a long flight. Starlink is expected to dominate the in-flight internet market with lower costs and higher bandwidth. This means airlines can offer free in-flight Internet to most or all passengers.
Even though the Indian Government has approved the use of Internet on airplanes, things are unlikely to heat up in the following years due to the pandemic, but Internet on airplanes may soon become a reality in India. With these services becoming popular on international flights, in-flight Internet is not yet available in India due to poor satellite connectivity over Indian airspace. If all goes well, ISRO plans to launch the GSAT-20 satellite later this year. Viasat, a global satellite communications company is expected to provide Internet on flights over India using GSAT-20.
Vistara is currently the only Indian airline to offer in-flight Internet on international routes. Passengers can enjoy free messaging services, facilitating real-time communication with family and friends throughout the flight. For example, on a flight from Delhi to Hong Kong, travelers can connect throughout the journey. Air India has announced plans to introduce internet services on its Airbus A350 aircraft, starting from the Delhi to London route. The initiative aims to enhance passenger experience by providing connectivity on long-haul flights.
Additionally, telecom service providers such as Airtel and Jio have started offering in-flight roaming plans, allowing passengers with Indian SIM cards to access Internet services while flying. This development gives travelers more options to stay connected during flights.
As in-flight Internet is increasingly considered a standard amenity, it is predicted that more airlines will adopt this service on both domestic and international flights, in line with passenger expectations. about constant connectivity.
