The Airbus Corporate Jet Centre (ACJC) in Toulouse, France, has become the first OEM to install a suite of Satcom Direct Router (SDR), two WiFi Hubs and GlobalVT together. The aircraft equipped was an Airbus ACJ320.
The combination of SD WiFi Hub when installed with the SDR in large cabin aircraft, expands capability and enhances connectivity in the cabin, allowing telephone calls over the internet.
The Hubs also support high-definition media products and applications for all passengers, eliminating buffering and gaps in cabin coverage by providing up to an additional 900 Mbps data rates to the cabin with both 2.4 and 5 Ghz 802.11n radios. Only an inch high, the SD WiFi Hub has the smallest and lightest form factor in aviation. GlobalVT allows passengers to use their smartphones in-flight with their own number and caller ID. Passengers can make and receive calls, text, and email, connect to the internet and stream data.
“We’re seeing increasing demand for our products on narrow- and wide-body aircraft,” said Chris Moore, SD’s chief commercial officer. “Many passengers rely on connectivity in the air so it needs to be robust, reliable and resilient.”