Deutsche Telekom and Inmarsat have boosted the capacity of their European Aviation Network (EAN) inflight broadband solution by collaborating with Tampnet.
Tampnet provides high capacity, low latency and reliable connectivity to offshore installations, mobile rigs and vessels.
The additional coverage follows the installation and maintenance of five EAN antenna sites on offshore production platforms in the North Sea.
Two additional antenna sites are being placed in offshore wind farms within the coastal waters of Germany and the Netherlands (exclusive economic zones) and one more is already operational onshore in Norway.
The new sites are located strategically to further enhance EAN’s high-speed passenger connectivity on flights in Northern Europe, including high-density flight routes between the UK, the Netherlands, Denmark and Norway. They complement the 300 LTE-based ground network antenna sites already set up across Europe and will further strengthen EAN’s combined satellite and air-to-ground network performance.
The five sea-based antenna sites are co-located on the top of existing communication infrastructure on offshore production platforms and therefore benefit from Tampnet’s fibre network in the area.
Inmarsat Aviation’s president Philippe Carette commented: “The European Aviation Network is well established as the continent’s fastest inflight broadband solution, available to millions of passengers on short and medium haul flights with British Airways, Iberia, Vueling and AEGEAN. For airlines, it has played an important role in enhancing the onboard experience, unlocking new revenue opportunities and instilling greater confidence in air travel. This latest enhancement coincides with the third anniversary of the service being offered to passengers by our airline customers, with passenger usage at record highs following the pandemic.”
