Lufthansa Group, which operates the Lufthansa, SWISS and Austrian Airlines, selected Viasat and Deutsche Telekom to equip more than 150 aircraft with EAN (European Aviation Network).
EAN combines S-band satellite coverage from Viasat with a complementary ground network (CGN) operated by Deutsche Telekom. EAN provides high-speed Internet on airplanes that supports streaming and other broadband applications.
Viasat acquired Inmarsat last year and continues its long-standing, successful partnership with Deutsche Telekom and the Lufthansa Group. Inmarsat has been providing its satellite-based service (Ka-band) to the Lufthansa Group since 2015. This purely satellite-based solution is already on board 240 Lufthansa Group aircraft flying on short and medium-haul routes. Deutsche Telekom acts as an Internet service provider for various in-flight services. In February 2018, both partners launched the European Aviation Network, which is already being used by other European airlines.
Lufthansa Group says EAN will provide passengers with uniform, reliable connectivity in the aircraft eegardless of the route or the aircraft. The additional more than 150 aircraft include the Airbus A319, A320ceo, A320neo, A321ceo, A321neo and A220 fleet types. EAN is a unique example of Europe’s technological and regulatory leadership. Air travelers can now enjoy excellent in-flight connectivity within the continent.
