ViaSat said it designed its Exede in-flight Internet service to provide top-level service quality and speeds at more favorable economics compared to other in-cabin airline broadband services.

   The ViaSat system aims to enable airlines to specify a high-speed service level that is capable of delivering 12 Mbps connectivity speeds to each passenger, rather than an aggregate amount of bandwidth to the plane, leaving passengers competing for service. 

   ViaSat Chairman and CEO Mark Dankberg said the major differentiator for his company’s Exede Internet service is the Ka-band system provided by its ViaSat-1 high-capacity communications satellite.

   “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,” Dankberg said in a statement. “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.”

   Dankberg added that the full high-capacity ViaSat aircraft system has the ability to offer significantly higher transmission speeds, more bandwidth for each passenger, less network congestion, and more attractive airtime pricing than other in-flight Internet access alternatives.

   The Exede system for commercial aviation is currently undergoing certification by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). ViaSat is already under contract to install its in-flight system, working together with partner LiveTV, onto 370 aircraft operated by JetBlue and one other U.S. carrier. Installations are expected to begin later this year with all 370 aircraft scheduled to be online by the end of the 2015 calendar year.