Gogo, the leading global provider of broadband connectivity products and services for aviation, announced that it has been selected by Virgin Australia to bring inflight connectivity to its domestic and international services.
From next month, Virgin Australia will begin customer testing of the service using Gogo's 2Ku technology on a Boeing 737-800 aircraft. A full installation of 2Ku across Virgin Australia's fleet of Boeing 737-800, Airbus A330 and Boeing 777 aircraft is planned following the customer testing period. The technology will leverage Ku satellites provided by Optus Satellite for domestic and New Zealand services and Intelsat and SES for other international flights.
Gogo said it now has more than 1500 aircraft awarded to its 2Ku technology by 13 airlines including many of the largest airlines in the world. The company claims that it has reached a major milestone by installing its 3,000th commercial aircraft with in-flight connectivity.
John Thomas, Group Executive Virgin Australia Airlines
We are confident that by working with Gogo and Optus Satellite and using their proven technology we can deliver the best possible and most reliable connectivity and entertainment experience in the air. Virgin Australia guests will soon be able to stay connected with their family, friends and colleagues on board, while inflight wi-fi also presents exciting opportunities for our team to deliver even more of the great customer service for which they are famous.
Michael Small, President and CEO, GogoSethu Meenakshisundaram, President of SAP Digital Interconnect
We are delighted to bring Gogo's industry leading 2Ku technology to an iconic brand like Virgin Australia. 2Ku delivers a ground-like performance to passengers on aircraft flying around the world, including the ability to stream video.
