Satellite Networks

IFC collaboration focuses on Turkey – and beyond

IFC collaboration focuses on Turkey – and beyond

Following yesterday's Hughes-Air India news, another partnership has been announced for in-flight connectivity (IFC). This initiative is designed to support the evolving connectivity needs of airlines and aviation customers across Europe, Turkey and the Middle East Africa (MEA) region.

Viasat Aviation, part of global communications company Viasat, satellite operator and integrated communications service provider Turksat and Saudi Arabia-headquartered provider of air-to-ground (A2G) inflight connectivity solutions SkyFive Arabia have announced plans to establish a strategic roaming collaboration aimed at advancing next-generation IFC solutions.

The roaming framework is intended to enable seamless cross-border in-flight connectivity for commercial airlines, private aviation and other aviation customers. This includes those using SKYFive’s air-to-ground (A2G) network and Viasat’s integrated satellite and complementary ground component connectivity European Aviation Network (EAN) customers, who stand to gain access to Turksat’s network in Turkey. The three networks will use the same S-band spectrum, making roaming easier to implement.

Turksat is developing a nationwide A2G network in Turkey to support in-flight connectivity services for commercial airlines, private aviation, and other aviation customers operating within Turkish airspace.

The service offering is intended to provide low-latency, high-capacity broadband connectivity, complementing satellite-based IFC solutions and enhancing service continuity for aircraft transitioning between regional coverage zones.

Turksat is joining an existing collaboration between Viasat and SkyFive and will act as a strategic bridge between East and West, connecting ongoing investments in IFC by both Viasat and SKYFive Arabia. This collaboration is intended to help create a practical basis for wider cross-network cooperation as IFC adoption expands.

Turkey air travel, the partners explain, is a major, high-volume market with tens of millions of passengers annually, supported by strong tourism demand, business travel and hub connectivity via Istanbul. Istanbul Airport is one of Europe’s busiest hubs, linking Europe to Turkey and onward destinations.

The parties expect the roaming framework to contribute to a more scalable and commercially attractive model for next-generation IFC. This includes the potential to improve interoperability across adjacent coverage areas, support more efficient use of existing network infrastructure, and provide aviation customers with a high-speed connectivity experience proposition aligned with evolving route structures and passenger expectations.



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