Thanks to this agreement, four Vueling Airbus A320s will be equipped with the service throughout this year, making it the first European airline to offer high-speed Wi-Fi and laying the groundwork for the future of onboard connectivity. Until now, this type of data access was not possible on short European routes such as Madrid-Barcelona, for example. This opens up a whole world of possibilities for passengers: checking and replying to emails, updating their social media status, and staying connected to news and events in real time, among many other options.
Telefónica will be responsible for integrating LiveTV's high-speed technology with Eutelsat's AIR ACCESS mobile service via its KA-SAT satellite to provide a complete over-the-air Internet access solution.
Ka-band satellite systems are unique in their ability to deliver a 20 Mbps in-flight experience similar to home ADSL. This marks a significant departure from what has been available until now. While other technologies exist, a new generation of Ka-band satellites, also called High Throughput Satellites (HTS), allows passengers to use their electronic devices (smartphones or tablets) during the flight as if they were on the ground.
Telefónica has selected Eutelsat as its satellite network and mobile service provider, while LiveTV will supply all the onboard equipment for the aircraft. LiveTV is also in charge of the process to obtain the necessary certifications (STC) from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for the use of this technology on Vueling's Airbus A320s
