Sichuan Airlines picks Viasat high-speed Internet for 15 A320s -

The Viasat solution will be installed on 15 A320 family aircraft. The first plane has been installed.

Both passengers and crew will be connected when the Viasat terminal is installed on the A320s. The use case is expected to benefit the airline.

The combination of Viasat's equipment, China Satcom's satellite network and AeroSat Link's digital services will enable video streaming, internet browsing, messaging, social media, business applications and more to each connected device on these equipped aircraft

The carrier is embracing passenger demand for staying connected in the air while continuing to enrich the onboard digital experience.

Viasat has been working with Chinese technology providers to support high-speed inflight internet at Chinese airlines.

The satellite operator and aero ISP signed a partnership with China Satcom to provide services for domestic and international airlines in China. The partnership approach is favored by China.

The China Satcom Ka-band network became operational last year, thanks to the ChinaSat-16 satellite system. The complete Ka-band satellite system on the A320 series aircraft will be installed by Viasat. The award of the VSTC was based on a previous certification.

Viasat was a customer with an order for an initial 15 tails. The Viasat kit has been used to install the first aircraft.

Viasat has a good chance of securing business with more Chinese operators because most of China's domestic fleet is not fitted with live inflight internet. ChinaSat-16 is going to serve 80% of the flight routes in China. If you are an international customer that wants to have access to China when you fly in, it is going to serve you. It will serve our needs and we expect to have more capacity going online.

RGN wanted to know if the system on the carrier's A320s will be able to talk to the ViaSat 3 network, and if it will be offered on any international flights flown by Sichuan Airlines. A Viasat spokesman says that it will have that ability.

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There is a picture of a plane fitted with Viasat's antenna hardware.