Gogo Begins Flight Testing Its New 5G In-Flight Internet Network Across North America

Gogo (NASDAQ:GOGO) has begun flight testing its next-generation 5G air-to-ground connectivity network for North American customers. Optimizing a Pilatus PC-24 trials platform, the test team is flying on alternate days during the campaign to fully test the potential of the unrestricted Gogo 5G ATG broadband access. Gogo's engineering and software teams expect to complete the comprehensive test and validation program in 40 to 50 hours of flight time over several weeks.

The campaign is employing well-established trial techniques, beginning with simple procedures and culminating with fully loaded tests running multiple applications, including video calling, video streaming, and internet browsing, on multiple devices simultaneously.

Chris Moore, CEO, Gogo, explains, "This is a true walk before you run-type methodical test plan. We've started out by establishing an end-to-end call in flight, and we're rapidly progressing to the critical inflight connectivity use cases that will validate readiness for 5G product launch, including simple validation, continuous connection, call setups, handovers, and application testing.

Flight tests are using Gogo towers in eastern Colorado and Nebraska, before moving on to connect with towers around Broomfield, Chicago, New York, Miami, and areas in between. On the ground, Gogo's engineers will monitor every flight while gathering data from across the 5G network and aircraft hardware platforms. The flight trials are anticipated to corroborate data gathered during months of ground testing and substantiate numerous performance models.

The test program has already validated the 5G chip's functionality on the ground, following delivery of the new 5G chipset to Airspan, a provider of network deployment solutions and Gogo's 5G partner, in May.