Viasat’s view of the ‘maturing market’
Travellers’ in-flight connectivity needs continue to evolve, while cybersecurity threats intensify. Viasat charts the changing landscape over the past year and looks ahead. Mike Stones reports
Viasat’s view of the ‘maturing market’
Travellers’ in-flight connectivity needs continue to evolve, while cybersecurity threats intensify. Viasat charts the changing landscape over the past year and looks ahead. Mike Stones reports
IN-FLIGHT CONNECTIVITY is a maturing market, with travellers’ needs becoming ever more sophisticated, according to Kai Tang, senior vice president, head of Business Aviation, Viasat. Meeting those needs requires a mix of services, satellite options plus defence against the growing threat of cybersecurity.
“The connectivity market has continued to mature over the past year, with a noticeable shift away from one-dimensional benchmarks such as raw speed,” Tang tells us. “Today’s business aviation customers are seeking more holistic, experience-driven solutions that incorporate a variety of different measurements. We’ve heard this consistently from our partners and end users.”
Customers increasingly prioritise premium service quality, expecting white-glove support, rapid problem resolution and dedicated 24/7 points of contact. They want highly responsive, expert-backed support available throughout the world – not generic call centres or automated bots.
While traditional in-flight activities still dominate – such as the popularity of emailing and messaging via platforms like WhatsApp and Slack – new connectivity uses are emerging, which are helping Viasat plan services for the future. For example, about half of travellers reported using video conferencing via platforms, such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams, in CJI’s latest connectivity survey, conducted in partnership with Viasat earlier this year. (Read more about our 2025 survey here).
“Today’s business aviation customers are seeking more holistic, experience-driven solutions…”
Kai Tang, Viasat’s senior vice president, Business Aviation.
IN-FLIGHT CONNECTIVITY is a maturing market, with travellers’ needs becoming ever more sophisticated, according to Kai Tang, senior vice president, head of Business Aviation, Viasat. Meeting those needs requires a mix of services, satellite options plus defence against the growing threat of cybersecurity.
“The connectivity market has continued to mature over the past year, with a noticeable shift away from one-dimensional benchmarks such as raw speed,” Tang tells us. “Today’s business aviation customers are seeking more holistic, experience-driven solutions that incorporate a variety of different measurements. We’ve heard this consistently from our partners and end users.”
Customers increasingly prioritise premium service quality, expecting white-glove support, rapid problem resolution and dedicated 24/7 points of contact. They want highly responsive, expert-backed support available throughout the world – not generic call centres or automated bots.
While traditional in-flight activities still dominate – such as the popularity of emailing and messaging via platforms like WhatsApp and Slack – new connectivity uses are emerging, which are helping Viasat plan services for the future. For example, about half of travellers reported using video conferencing via platforms, such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams, in CJI’s latest connectivity survey, conducted in partnership with Viasat earlier this year. (Read more about our 2025 survey here).
“Today’s business aviation customers are seeking more holistic, experience-driven solutions…”
Kai Tang, Viasat’s senior vice president, Business Aviation.
Streaming high-definition video is also widespread, confirming the demand for in-flight connectivity to support both business and leisure needs. Another rising trend over the past year has been the use of generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT, overtaking more traditional activities like gaming and even financial trading. It’s a significant development, says Tang. “This marks the arrival of a new in-flight use case – creative, data-intensive and productivity-focused – that’s likely to grow rapidly in the years ahead,” he says.
Tailoring connectivity solutions to meet customers’ changing needs depends on working closely with aircraft manufacturers, maintenance, repair and overhaul (MROs) providers and channel partners to deliver systems that are purpose-built for this sector – not retrofitted or repurposed. Viasat’s distribution partners include Collins Aerospace, Gogo and Honeywell.
Its Ka-band and L-band services are active on more than 5,000 business jets worldwide, supported by an extensive and growing list of supplemental type certificates (STCs), MRO dealer network and OEM line-fit partnerships with Gulfstream, Embraer, Dassault and Bombardier.
“From advanced satellites to next-generation terminals and flexible service models, Viasat has consistently pushed the boundaries of what in-flight connectivity can deliver,” says Tang. “Looking ahead, we’re building on a solid foundation of proven solutions, evolving intelligently rather than making untested promises. That puts us in a uniquely strong position – offering a credible, high-performance alternative in the market,” he claims.
A recent milestone is the launch of JetXP; Viasat’s in-flight broadband service for business aviation. “Introduced late last year, JetXP is our most advanced business aviation connectivity service to date,” says Tang. “Already in use by hundreds of customers, it delivers premium features such as uncapped speeds, increased network prioritisation and expanded capacity.”
The system uses Viasat’s global Ka-band network, including current and future ViaSat-3 and GX satellites. Its services are designed to cater for all levels of demand – whether passengers are connecting multiple devices or using data-intensive applications like high-definition video conferencing, streaming, or bulk file transfers. “Crucially, it also unifies our legacy Jet ConneX and Viasat Ka services under a single, forward-looking brand,” says Tang.
JetXP service plans are supported across a range of terminals including established systems such as the Honeywell JetWave and Viasat’s GAT-5510 and newer systems such as Gogo’s Plane Simple Ka-band and the upcoming JetWave X.
“All JetXP terminals benefit from ongoing capacity growth as we continue to enhance our global Ka-band footprint.”
A rendering of a ViaSat-3 satellite.
A rendering of a ViaSat-3 satellite.
“JetWave continues to be a proven global option for large-cabin aircraft, while JetWave X is set to introduce a more compact, lightweight solution with advanced capabilities,” says Tang. “It recently completed successful connectivity tests on the Viasat network – a key milestone ahead of certification later this year.”
Gogo’s Plane Simple Ka-band terminal is also gaining traction, with supplemental type certificates (STCs) expanding across a growing list of airframes, he adds.
Meanwhile, Viasat’s GAT-5510 Ka-band satellite terminal recently connected to a ViaSat-3 satellite for the first time, unlocking new capacity over North America and Hawaii. The service is designed to complement Viasat’s coverage across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and major transatlantic corridors. “All JetXP terminals benefit from ongoing capacity growth as we continue to enhance our global Ka-band footprint,” says Tang. “Just as important, we remain committed to supporting legacy hardware – ensuring customers can continue to maximise their existing investments while tapping into the future potential of the Viasat network.”
Talking of global coverage, will Viasat continue to focus on geostationary Earth orbit (GEO) over low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites for business aviation in-flight connectivity solutions? GEO remains the most proven and scalable foundation for delivering enterprise-grade connectivity for business aviation where global reach, high reliability and consistent performance are critical, according to the connectivity specialist. GEO offers unmatched capacity density, broad coverage and operational efficiency tailored to the demands of long-haul, high-expectation users, it says.
But Viasat’s approach is not orbit-specific. “We believe the future of connectivity lies in the intelligent integration of multiple satellite architectures and spectrum bands,” says Tang. “Viasat’s fully funded roadmap is designed to support this vision, with a flexible, hybrid-ready network architecture capable of blending GEO with non-geostationary orbit [NGSO] assets where it makes sense.”
“We believe the future of connectivity lies in the intelligent integration of multiple satellite architectures and spectrum bands.”
For example, Viasat’s new GX10A and GX10B satellite payloads are delivering connectivity in a highly elliptical orbit (HEO). Plus, its NexusWave maritime service includes a strategic partnership with OneWeb to meet the unique connectivity needs of global shipping. The company is also exploring potential LEO partnerships with Telesat Lightspeed to address specific requirements in the commercial and business aviation sectors.
While some LEO-only networks have attracted attention, operators should evaluate what truly delivers value: global coverage, consistent uptime, network resilience and premium customer support, says Tang. “These are the areas where Viasat excels and why we continue to be the most trusted long-term partner for business aviation connectivity,” says Tang.
L-band remains a vital part of the connectivity ecosystem for business aviation providing reliable, always-on voice and data services that meet essential communication needs, he adds. It’s particularly important for operators who prioritise resilience and global coverage. “For over a decade, our SwiftBroadband [SBB] service has been the industry benchmark in this category, enabling everything from in-seat mobile use and messaging to email and basic web access,” says Tang. “Now, we’re taking a leap forward with the introduction of SwiftJet – our next-generation L-band solution, which enters commercial service this year. SwiftJet offers global connectivity with up to six times the performance of SBB, opening the door to richer onboard experiences while retaining the hallmark reliability of L-band.”
The service is designed for business aviation users who want dependable access to more data-intensive applications, even on smaller aircraft or as a complementary service to Ka-band. New satellite launches will extend capacity and coverage well into the 2030s. “This long-term commitment ensures that SwiftJet and SBB customers benefit from continuity, security and a trusted service foundation – whether they’re sending messages, streaming content, or joining a video call at 40,000 feet,” says Tang.
“Cybersecurity is a top priority for our business aviation clients, many of whom operate in high profile or sensitive environments.”
From opportunities to threats. Another trend over the past year has been a growing awareness of the risks to the integrity of in-flight connectivity systems. The latest example comes from an attack on a charter aircraft carrying European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen. The commission confirmed at the start of September that her aircraft was the target of global navigation satellite system (GNSS) jamming over Bulgaria, forcing it to circle the airport for about an hour.
Tang puts it like this: “Cybersecurity is a top priority for our business aviation clients, many of whom operate in high-profile or sensitive environments. They expect the highest levels of data security, privacy and system integrity – and rightly so.”
Threats come from a range of sources. These include the targeting of electronic flight bags, used by pilots for navigation and weather information, ransomware attacks, supply chain vulnerabilities and GPS spoofing, where criminals attack GPS-based navigation systems. Cybercriminals can also use social engineering in a bid to trick aircrew and others into revealing sensitive information or granting unauthorised access to aircraft systems.
Cybersecurity is built into the core of Viasat’s in-flight connectivity solutions, says Tang. “Our end-to-end network architecture includes multiple layers of embedded security, from the physical infrastructure to the data transport layer. We also employ continuous network monitoring to detect and address threats and anomalies in real time – without the need for additional onboard hardware.”
In business aviation, Viasat’s value-added resellers add another layer of protection by tailoring solutions to the unique requirements of principals, executives and corporate travellers, says Tang. “The result is a secure, resilient connectivity experience that aligns with the expectations of the most discerning customers.”
