Intelsat has inked pact with Nelco to provide in-flight connectivity services in India. Intelsat is the operator of one of the largest integrated satellite and terrestrial network and the leading provider of inflight connectivity (IFC). The agreement is expected to benefit Intelsat’s airline partners and flyers as they will get end-to-end broadband coverage on domestic and international aircraft flying to or from an Indian airport, as well as aircraft flying over the country.
Commenting on the development, Jeff Sare, president, Commercial Aviation, Intelsat, said, “In addition to expanding our service coverage area for current customer airlines, our agreement with Nelco opens the possibility for Intelsat to serve India’s domestic airlines. This is a fast-growing airline market, and there is considerable untapped potential for IFC growth.”
Intelsat’s IFC service enables airline passengers a seamless at-home and in-office connectivity experience. Further, it allows an airline to differentiate itself, enhancing the passenger experience while driving passenger loyalty and optimising flight operations.
Meanwhile, PJ Nath, managing director and CEO, Nelco, said, “We are proud that Nelco has forged this relationship with in-flight connectivity pioneer Intelsat to offer Aero IFC services on their customer aircraft. As India’s leading satcom service provider offering best-in-class services, we are now creating a great opportunity through this relationship with Intelsat for further growth of our Aero IFC services in the country in the coming years – and we intend to be a leader in this market in India.”
Nelco has offered the Aero IFC services for more than two years with plans to introduce these services to more airlines in collaboration with its global partners. Nelco will provide these services using Intelsat’s IS-33e high throughput satellite. IS-33e was launched in 2016 that provides C and Ku-band connectivity to parts of Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. Intelsat’s IS-33e satellite is approved by Indian government regulators, paving the way for coverage with no interruptions or blackout zones.
