Inmarsat recently completed a successful around-the-world test flight of Global Xpress, the company's satellite-based Ka-band, high-speed broadband network, the company announced today. The exercise, conducted on a Gulfstream GIV between June 5 and June 11, covered more than 25,000 miles and demonstrated that Global Xpress can deliver "seamless, worldwide coverage" across multiple spot beams and satellites."
“While government and business users have historically had to manipulate flight plans to avoid gaps in coverage and performance, the test flight enjoyed complete flexibility in route selection,” Inmarsat said. The flight route spanned the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, beginning in the U.S. with stops in the UK, UAE, Thailand, Australia and Fiji.
According to Inmarsat, the GIV was outfitted with a Honeywell tail-mount antenna, which has a “committed rate” of 4 Mbps download and 1 Mbps upload, but is capable of more than 15 Mbps. “Uniform coverage and service was delivered to the aircraft as it moved across 28 beams with handovers that went unnoticed by users; and three satellite-to-satellite handovers that were accomplished seamlessly,” the company said.
During the flight, Global Xpress supported voice, data and streaming applications such as video teleconferencing, high-speed internet access and file transfer, VPN and phone calls. Inmarsat said it “fully delivered or exceeded the committed information rate.”
