ATC
FAA Moving Forward with En Route Expansion of Data Comm
The FAA is testing Data Comm in the en route environment and anticipates initial deployment by 2020.

The White House’s request for $136 million of its Data Communications (Data Comm) program in Fiscal Year 2020 comes as the FAA prepares for the rollout of the technology at nation’s air route traffic control centers (ARTCC). Data Comm provides a means for air traffic controllers and pilots to communicate digitally. Controllers can send text instructions to several aircraft at once, while pilots may digitally transmit flight plans, clearances, instructions, advisories, flight crew requests, reports, and other essential messages.