Airspan Networks has completed the industry’s first end-to-end 5G Air-to-Ground (ATG) call using commercial equipment, conducted at its lab in Slough, UK. The test featured Airspan’s In Motion 5G platform in collaboration with Gogo and GCT Semiconductor, operating over a 50 MHz channel in the 2.4GHz band. The breakthrough marks a critical step in the evolution of 5G-based aerial connectivity, targeting both business aviation and emerging use cases such as drones and high-altitude communications.
The platform incorporates Airspan’s aircraft radio module powered by a GCT 5G chipset, beamforming radios (RUs), and CU/DU units, all built on an Open RAN architecture. It’s engineered for performance in high-speed and high-altitude environments, delivering long-range, low-latency broadband. Key innovations include dynamic timing advance for extended range, Doppler compensation at speeds up to 1,200 km/h, and interference-based scheduling using time and frequency-selective allocation. Airspan reports engineering capabilities exceeding 300 km range and support for high-reliability communications in defense and public safety operations.
The call also underscores Gogo’s ongoing efforts to deploy 5G-based ATG broadband for business aviation. The combined architecture supports mobile broadband in complex aerial conditions and paves the way for future use in drones, tactical defense systems, high-altitude platforms (HAPS), and even LEO satellite systems.
- Conducted in Slough, UK using commercial 5G hardware and 50 MHz in 2.4 GHz band
- Included Airspan’s In Motion 5G platform, Gogo software, and GCT 5G chipset
- Validated performance up to 1,200 km/h and 300 km range
- Key technologies: M-MIMO beamforming, Doppler shift compensation, dynamic timing, interference-aware scheduling
- Supports business aviation broadband, drone comms, HAPS, and mission-critical defense ops
“Our platform is designed to support a broad spectrum of use cases including broadband for private and commercial aviation, aerial connectivity for drones and uncrewed aircraft, tactical networks for defense and mission-critical operations, and the emerging connectivity for high-altitude platforms (HAPS) and Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite communications,” said Glenn Laxdal, President and CEO of Airspan.
🌐 Why it Matters: This milestone reflects the growing convergence of terrestrial 5G, aviation, and defense-grade wireless. With Open RAN as the architectural backbone, Airspan’s approach offers scalable, modular solutions for a future where aircraft, drones, and satellites share a common connectivity fabric.
Gogo is a leading provider of in-flight broadband connectivity and wireless entertainment services for the business aviation market. Based in Broomfield, Colorado, Gogo offers air-to-ground (ATG) and satellite-based internet services tailored for private and corporate aircraft. The company has been investing heavily in its next-generation 5G ATG network, designed to deliver high-speed, low-latency connectivity across North America using a proprietary network of ground-based towers and onboard aircraft equipment.
GCT Semiconductor is a U.S.-based fabless semiconductor company specializing in advanced 4G LTE and 5G chipset solutions. Headquartered in San Jose, California, GCT designs highly integrated single-chip solutions that power a wide range of mobile broadband devices, including smartphones, routers, and IoT terminals. The company’s chipsets support global spectrum bands
