ViaSat is expanding its Exede in-flight Internet service to serve commercial airlines.
JetBlue has selected the Ka-band system for its fleet of 370 aircraft; ViaSat said it expects to begin installations later this year with completion by 2015.
Exede will enable airlines to specify a high-speed service level to each passenger, the company said. The service is capable of delivering 12 Mbps or more to each connected passenger.
"Compared to air-to-ground and traditional satellite in-flight networks, the improved capacity and economics of our Ka-band system enable airlines to finally bring a high-speed home or office Internet experience to passengers," said Mark Dankberg, CEO and chairman of ViaSat. "Customer feedback on our Exede home Internet service has been overwhelmingly positive and we’re eager to prove that the in-flight experience can be just as good."