Cabin Interior and Electronics
Swift64 ushers in several Internet-in-the-sky systems
Choosing the right data satcom system has never been easier thanks to an array of choices from manufacturers.

Choosing the right data satcom system has never been easier thanks to an array of choices from manufacturers. Several suppliers are now offering high-speed data satcom equipment that uses the Inmarsat Swift64 satellite link, a digital network operating over the same satellites that carry voice and low-speed data signals.

Swift64 can deliver Internet connection speeds in flight of as high as 64 kbps for single-channel systems or 128 kbps when two channels are bonded together (and even faster using data-compression techniques). While perhaps not as fast an option as most executives are used to in their offices, Swift64 handles typical Web surfing and e-mail transfers with little trouble. For this reason, it has found ready acceptance aboard business airplanes.