Panasonic Avionics boosts global satellite network capacity

Panasonic Avionics Corporation (Panasonic) has upgraded its broadband satellite network for its airline customers ahead of a rising increase in demand for its services in 2014. The network upgrade allows Panasonic to increase capacity in almost every geographic area for its Global Communications Services, which deliver on-board connectivity for passengers and crew. The 50% uplift in capacity comes as Panasonic prepares to deliver 260 Global Communications Services-equipped aircraft into service with airlines in the next year. The new capacity has been delivered by software upgrades to the network’s 22 satellite beams. Panasonic uses iDirect’s satellite modem technology and also upgraded to iDirect’s latest Evolution technology version 3.1, to increase bandwidth. At the same time the new Evolution hardware platform allows Panasonic to support new capacity in virtually every geographic region.