United Airlines, Viasat Sign New Contract to Bring High-Speed Connectivity to New Aircraft
CARLSBAD, Calif.; February 8, 2018 – Viasat Inc. (NASDAQ: VSAT), a global communications company, announced today a new contract with United Airlines (UAL) to bring Viasat’s latest generation in-flight entertainment and connectivity (IFEC) system to more than 70 aircraft, including at least 58 of United’s new Boeing 737MAX aircraft.
Viasat will serve as the direct in-flight internet service provider to United, deploying its most advanced IFEC system, in order to provide United customers access to fast, reliable internet connections from the air—for accessing their favorite websites to connecting with key business applications such as a corporate VPN and secure email. Viasat’s IFEC system will also power United’s Private Screening entertainment option, which offers customers access to hundreds of entertainment titles from its onboard library direct to their own devices.
“We’re pleased to expand our relationship with United, now providing direct internet and entertainment services to them and their customers,” said Don Buchman, vice president and general manager, Commercial Aviation, Viasat. “We’re focused on optimizing customer satisfaction through great connectivity and entertainment. Our goal is to ensure United’s customers are fully connected and enjoying their onboard connectivity and entertainment experiences.”
United will tap into Viasat’s advanced high-capacity Ka-band satellite system, which will include the ViaSat-1, ViaSat-2 and ViaSat-3 satellite platforms. These capacity-rich satellite platforms will enable Viasat to deliver fast, high quality in-flight internet service to each connected device on the aircraft. This technology will allow United to deliver dependable internet connections gate-to-gate and perform over-the-air content uploads to its onboard entertainment system, ensuring its library has the most current content available.
Viasat is recognized as offering forward-thinking, capable and scalable connectivity service, allowing more customers to access high-quality content on more devices and across more aircraft simultaneously. Over the coming months, United will begin installing Viasat’s IFEC system on its airframes, demonstrating its commitment to the onboard customer experience.
About Viasat
Viasat is a global communications company that believes everyone and everything in the world can be connected. For more than 30 years, Viasat has helped shape how consumers, businesses, governments and militaries around the world communicate. Today, the Company is developing the ultimate global communications network to power high-quality, secure, affordable, fast connections to impact people’s lives anywhere they are—on the ground, in the air or at sea. To learn more about Viasat, visit: www.viasat.com, go to Viasat’s Corporate Blog, or follow the Company on social media at: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter or YouTube.
