Writer

Charlotte Bailey

Satellite communications group Viasat is introducing what it says is a more complete way to assess performance metrics for inflight connectivity. The company's proprietary Inflight Quality of Experience (IQE) benchmark is set to go live later this year and will assess factors other than just connection speeds.&nbsp;
The initiative builds on&nbsp;an <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2025-10-14/viasat-rethinks-flight-connectivity-performance-and">October 2025 report</a> from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and will cover&nbsp;multiple variables beyond peak network speed. Viasat, which operates a network of&nbsp;multi-orbit and low-earth-orbit (LEO) satellites, said that the metrics will be tracked and measured using artificial intelligence tools. 
Among the connectivity factors to be assessed are&nbsp;latency, jitter, terminal availability, signal strength, transmission resilience, and demand satisfaction.&nbsp;The IQE process, which will result in expectations included in Viasat customers' service agreements, is about to start beta-testing with select customers before a full roll-out by the end of 2026.
Speaking to AIN at the recent Aero Friedrichshafen show, Viasat business aviation technology strategy leader Jim MacDougall confirmed that business aviation users’ connectivity expectations continue to grow. According to him, this is reflected in Viasat's service plans offering unlimited data and the company's efforts to ensure that terminals can receive as much throughput as possible.&nbsp;
<h2>From Satellites to Speeds </h2>
Viasat’s latest satellite, ViaSat-3 F2, is on track to go into service at the end of May.&nbsp; A third, currently positioned in Cape Canaveral in Florida, is set to launch into orbit at the end of this month. Last year, the company said that ViaSat-3 F2 will double the overall bandwidth capacity of Viasat’s entire existing fleet.
According to MacDougall, it is as vital to maintain a seamless customer experience as it is to keep growing the amount of data transferred each second.&nbsp;In late 2025, Viasat partnered <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2025-11-17/viasat-adds-telesat-leo-connectivity-jetxp-service">with Telesat</a> to integrate the latter’s LEO capabilities into its multi-orbit constellation: pledging to offer layered coverage, additional redundancy and reduced latency. According to MacDougall, this capability—accessible to JetXP subscribers via an electronically-steered antenna—represents a new level of service.
MacDougall acknowledged that historically Viasat has not prioritized broadband service for business aviation, this is changing with the extension of its multi-orbit and LEO capabilities. Part of this expansion is based on Viasat's integration of the satcom capacity of Inmarsat, which it acquired in 2023.
Honeywell’s JetWave X system is set to be the first terminal able to use this combined network for super-midsize and larger aircraft. This will leverage ViaSat-3 and former-Immarsat GlobalXpress satellites, with a new modem manager featuring software-defined radio to provide flexibility and future-proofing. According to MacDougall, Honeywell is currently working with aircraft manufacturers to secure supplemental type certificates for the terminal. 
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News and developments about everything that goes into the cabin of an aircraft, from floor coverings to headliners, with a special emphasis on in-flight entertainment, communications and other electronics for passengers. If it is in the cabin of an aircraft, it’s covered here.

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