Gogo Business Aviation is continuing its expansion in Asia, having recently signed a term sheet for 50 of its 2Ku satellite-based in-flight connectivity systems. Gogo signed the term sheet with Shareco Technologies, and it covers installation of the 2Ku systems on 50 Shareco airline partner airplanes, including Hainan Airlines and Beijing Capital Airlines.

In the business aviation market, Gogo is a service provider for Inmarsat’s new high-speed Ka-band JetConnex satellite service, which is already being deployed. The Ka-band service will deliver up to 15 Mbps connectivity speeds, or higher depending on the satcom antenna installed on the aircraft, with global coverage (except for the north and south poles).

“I think people are starting to get excited about what [the Ka-band service] will bring,” said John Wade, Gogo executive vice president and general manager. Gogo’s Inmarsat SwiftBroadband and Iridium satcom systems are still popular, according to Wade. “We continue to see broad-based adoption of the Inmarsat services that we sell, and Iridium for polar coverage and safety services,” he said.

In addition to connectivity services, Gogo also serves passengers with its Gogo Vision wireless in-flight entertainment (IFE) and information service. Gogo Vision is now available globally, providing access to about 200 on-demand movies and TV shows plus moving maps, news, flight-progress information and destination weather. Gogo Vision IFE can be displayed on bulkhead monitors or streamed to passengers’ mobile devices, and it includes content from Discovery Communications, Disney Studios, Magnolia Pictures, NBCUniversal, Twentieth Century Fox, Warner Brothers and more. Updates are done via USB drive, or in the U.S., via Wi-Fi at participating Gogo Cloud locations located at airports. “We don’t have Gogo Cloud locations in Asia yet,” Wade said, “but we will add those to our cloud network.”

Gogo Vision runs on the company’s UCS 5000 smart router and media server. Aircraft already equipped with the USC 5000 can add Gogo Vision by purchasing a software key. Here at ABACE (Stand P332), Gogo is demonstrating its services, including Gogo Vision, on iPads.

“We certainly are watching developments in Asia,” Wade said, “and China is one of the key areas because of its size.”