Gogo Business Aviation’s 4G Service Takes Flight

Gogo Business Aviation (NASDAQ: GOGO), a provider of broadband connectivity products and services for business aviation, receives supplemental type certification (STC) and Parts Manufacturer Approval (PMA) from the FAA for its new dual-directional antennas which will be used with the Gogo AVANCE L5 system (formerly known as the Gogo Biz 4G LRU).

Gogo AVANCE L5 connects to the Gogo Biz 4G network, delivering faster speeds and enhanced network capacity, enabling a more robust experience for activities such as live streaming video and audio, on-demand movies, personal smartphone use, real-time data for cockpit apps, and remote diagnostics and support while in flight.

“Using our proprietary Gogo Biz 4G network, Gogo AVANCE L5 will deliver an inflight Wi-Fi experience unrivaled by anything else in business aviation, and demand from customers is strong,” says Sergio Aguirre, Gogo’s senior vice president and general manager. “I’m so proud of our team. We told the marketplace that we would launch 4G service in mid-2017, and we met that commitment.”

Gogo's dealers and OEM partners are actively pursuing multiple STCs that will certify the Gogo AVANCE L5 system for installation on more than 40 business aircraft models. The majority of other business aircraft models will also be available for Gogo AVANCE L5 system installation utilizing existing STCs.

Gogo AVANCE is an innovative approach that combines Gogo’s advanced hardware and software technology to create a fully integrated, aviation-grade inflight connectivity and entertainment platform. The platform enables connected aviation technologies, services and applications like never before. Gogo AVANCE is the heart of the company’s new suite of platform-based products, beginning with its Smart Cabin systems—SCS Elite and SCE Media, which launched in July—followed by the Gogo AVANCE L5 hardware.

Created specifically for the business aviation market, the Gogo Biz 4G network is built on Gogo’s existing ground network of more than 250 towers and fiber backhaul, which has provided connectivity for hundreds of thousands of flight hours aboard thousands of business and commercial aircraft. The AVANCE L5 equipment package will incorporate dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi service and a host of other features—all from a single box.

Gogo AVANCE L5 is future-ready, providing an upgrade path to Gogo’s Next Gen network, scheduled to launch in 2018. The Next Gen network will use a proprietary modem, a new beam-forming antenna and unlicensed spectrum to produce speeds up to 100 Mbps. It will utilize LTE technology and leverage Gogo’s existing North American network and infrastructure.