Satcom Direct celebrates approval of SD Plane Simple® Ka-band terminal
(Left to Right) Kai Tang, Head of Business Aviation, Viasat, and Chris Moore, President of Satcom Direct
Satcom Direct has received type approval for the SD Plane Simple® Ka-band terminal for Viasat's Jet ConneX inflight broadband service, the company said in a February 13 press release. The approval comes after months of testing and optimization by both companies.
The new terminal is purpose-built for the business aviation sector and is fully compatible with Jet ConneX, to keep passengers connected inflight.
The SD Plane Simple Ka-band terminal will connect with existing Viasat GX satellites, which power the Jet ConneX service. It will also be compatible with next-generation GX satellites. The upcoming satellites transmit dual polarity signals, increasing the amount of data that can be received and transmitted.
“Our goal is to ensure our business aviation customers benefit from consistent, reliable service. Our Plane Simple Ka-band technology, combined with the new plans and our industry-leading customer support, adds further value to our offering. Customers require flexibility and consistency, and together with Viasat, we are committed to delivering a superior service that aligns with diverse operational budgets and individual customer demands,” said Chris Moore, President of Satcom Direct.
The service plans for Jet ConneX will be made exclusively available to Satcom Direct operators equipping their aircraft with the SD Plane Simple® Ka-band tail mount terminal. This includes the ‘Power by the Hour’ option for the JX service, where business jet operators can pay an hourly rate for high-speed inflight connectivity.
“Jet ConneX has established itself as a trusted business aviation inflight connectivity solution, delivering consistent, reliable, high-speed broadband wherever customers fly. It has always remained one step ahead of market demands and we’re excited to introduce even more advanced capabilities and service plans with Satcom Direct’s Plane Simple Ka-band technology. We congratulate our partner Satcom Direct on this important milestone,” said Kai Tang, Viasat’s Head of Business Aviation.
