October 17, 2016 – Airbus has become the first OEM to install the full suite of Satcom Direct Router (SDR), SD WiFi Hubs and GlobalVT inflight calling technology. The installation marks the first time that the SDR, two WiFi Hubs and GlobalVT will be integrated together, providing a complete cabin connectivity solution. The work was performed by Airbus Corporate Jet Centre (ACJC) in Toulouse, France, on an Airbus ACJ320.
The newly released wi-fi hub is a wireless access point that, when installed together with the SDR in large cabin aircraft, expands capability and enhances connectivity performance – such as allowing the internet to be used to make telephone calls. The hubs add additional interfaces where needed, simplifying the installation and improving wi-fi coverage in the cabin. The hubs also support high-definition media products and applications for all passengers, eliminating buffering and gaps in cabin coverage by providing up to an additional 900Mbps data rates to the cabin with both 2.4 and 5Ghz 802.11n radios.
The SDR provides the gateway to further value-added services for the cabin including GlobalVT, which allows passengers to use their smartphones in-flight with their own number and caller ID.
