Panasonic Avionics extended its multi-gigahertz Ku-band capacity agreement with Eutelsat on the EUTELSAT 10B satellite, which entered service in mid-2023. With expanded access to the platform's high throughput multi-beam payloads, Panasonic strengthens its Ku-band coverage across critical aviation corridors, including the North Atlantic, Europe, the Middle East, and major oceanic routes. This enhanced partnership ensures sustained service performance and capacity growth for Panasonic's airline clients, while reaffirming the continued role of geostationary assets in the evolving IFC landscape.

EUTELSAT 10B's dual high throughput payloads address complementary geographies, with one focused on the North Atlantic and European sectors and the other spanning the African and Indian Oceans. Panasonic's long-term anchor position on this platform reflects both strategic alignment and the operational requirement for mature, reliable coverage zones. "This contract also illustrates the ongoing pertinence of geostationary capacity to address evolving connectivity needs," said Cyril Dujardin, President of Eutelsat's Connectivity Business Unit.

John Wade, Vice President of In-flight Connectivity at Panasonic Avionics, noted: "This contract with a long-standing partner such as Eutelsat, with whom we already work with globally, illustrates our strategy to constantly expand our worldwide network with additional capacity."

This capacity expansion is being complemented by Panasonic's introduction of Converix, a next-generation application hosting platform that consolidates non-safety critical services under a unified architecture. Designed as an open, neutral environment, Converix enables integration of in-flight entertainment, connectivity, cabin management, galley operations, lighting, and more-applicable to any airframe and compatible with existing and future IFEC systems.

Converix incorporates responsible AI and supports large language model (LLM) processing, interfacing with over 10,000 datapoints across the aircraft. It delivers actionable analytics for airline operations and personalized experiences at the passenger level, including virtual assistants for trip planning, luggage status, and destination services. Airlines gain control over software deployment through modular design, CI/CD pipelines, and seamless updates without costly re-certification cycles. Ken Sain, CEO of Panasonic Avionics, described it as a transformative leap building on the Astrova IFE platform, noting that it aims to "redefine the passenger experience and reimagine the airline ownership experience."

SES, meanwhile, is expanding the global reach of its Open Orbits network with agreements to serve both Uzbekistan Airways and Thai Airways. Operating through its service partner Neo Space Group, SES will support IFC integration on Uzbekistan Airways' A321neo fleet from 2026, while Thai Airways plans to deploy Open Orbits across A321NX, B777, and future B787 deliveries. These deployments highlight Open Orbits' compatibility with multiple airframes and underscore SES's multi-orbit promise via GEO-MEO hybrid service architecture.

SES Open Orbits, offering up to 300 Mbps per aircraft, is positioned for line-fit and retrofit adoption, facilitated by integrations with Airbus' HBCplus Programme and Boeing's Safran Passenger Innovations AeroConnect terminals. Andrew Ruszkowski, SES Global Head of Aviation, emphasized, "We are very excited to see more airlines embrace our value proposition of a consistent and resilient service globally, a customised passenger experience and the ability to scale up quickly and efficiently."

Complementing these service-layer expansions, Intelsat is advancing IFC terminal innovation with its low-profile, electronically steered array (ESA) platform. Now installed on 130 aircraft and with orders for nearly 1,000 more, Intelsat's ESA solution leverages seamless interoperability across geostationary and low Earth orbit constellations. Its rapid-install capability, requiring just 48 hours for full system swap, minimizes aircraft downtime while delivering measurable uplifts in passenger connectivity experience.

"This milestone underlines the fact that many airlines around the world are gravitating towards multi-orbit inflight connectivity solutions," said Mike DeMarco, Chief Commercial Officer for Intelsat. With early operational success across North American fleets, Intelsat's ESA system is proving scalable across regional and wide-body aircraft classes.

While many players focus on capacity and orbit diversity, ThinKom and Quvia are driving innovation through intelligent integration of hardware and network management. Their joint offering pairs ThinKom's ThinAir Plus satcom terminal with Quvia's Grid platform, an AI-based orchestration engine that dynamically allocates traffic across multiple satellite links. This enables consistent quality of experience (QoE) across multiple bands, beams, and constellations.

ThinAir Plus features the Ka2517 terminal for GEO-MEO-LEO coverage and includes modular ESA options for LEO-only connectivity. The architecture supports concurrent operation across constellations, with mounting interfaces designed for upgrade flexibility. Paired with Quvia Grid's real-time traffic shaping, the system ensures airlines can manage latency, capacity, and cost parameters with high granularity.

"By combining our network-agnostic, simultaneous, multi-constellation ThinAir Plus hardware with Quvia's industry-leading Grid traffic management tools, we empower airlines to take control of the in-flight connectivity experience," said Bill Milroy, CTO and co-founder of ThinKom.

Quvia CEO Benny Retnamony positioned the system as a response to a shifting commercial environment: "The aviation industry is quickly entering the era of multi-provider IFC... Through our partnership with ThinKom, we're integrating reliable, high-performance hardware with AI-based network orchestration."

As airline operators prepare for next-generation connectivity requirements, these announcements reflect an emerging consensus: flexibility, service resilience, and performance optimization will define competitive advantage. Providers are now aligning not just on spectrum and satellite type, but on the need for end-to-end platforms that integrate smart routing, modular hardware, and forward-compatible system design.

Related Links
Eutelsat
VSAT News - Suppliers, Technology And Applications