Two Major Aviation Cell Networks Launching

Two new aviation cellular networks have emerged to enter into the market for cellular communications in high-end personal, business, commercial and governmental aircrafts, according to Flying Magazine. Honeywell has partnered with AT&T, who is almost at the tail end of deploying their 4G LTE technology. They expect this network to be completed in 2015, and their system will allow aircrafts to access the network. Robert Goyer of Flying Magazine explained, “The system will consist of hundreds of ground stations that will piggyback on existing cell towers that will point skyward giving wide availability of fast 4G LTE, which AT&T says will present a significant improvement over existing ground to air networks such as Gogo Biz.” Honeywell is building the aircraft hardware that will work with AT&T’s network. In addition to this, SmartSky will also launch their 4G LTE service in late 2015 targeting business and commercial aviation. “The company, which has been working on the program for several years already, is partnering with Textron Aviation, Duncan Aviation, Harris Corporation and Satcom Direct to build out a system that will give airborne users high-speed internet and more. The company will similarly use existing cell phone towers for its system,” according to Goyer.