The operator said the significant capacity agreement would enhance Panasonic’s broadband service with geographic coverage and specialized beams spanning the busy long-haul flight corridors over the United States and North Atlantic. Intelsat EpicNG will provide Panasonic-equipped aircraft with up to 80 Mbps per aircraft and 200 Mbps per spot beam.

   In the near-term, Panasonic will use capacity on two satellites within Intelsat’s Ku-band global broadband mobility platform, complemented by Ku-band capacity on Intelsat 29e, the first of the Intelsat EpicNG satellites, when the platform launches in 2015. The agreement also includes Intelsat 29e service on a wide Ku-band overlay beam for efficient broadcast of live television to Panasonic’s airline customers. Intelsat 29e is projected to enter service in 2016.

   Panasonic Avionics CEO Paul Margis said his company has been taking proactive steps that ensure the best possible connectivity solution for its customers. “With Intelsat EpicNG, Panasonic will use Ku-band technology to deliver to airlines the highest possible throughput capacity on a global, open architecture platform, without any costly changes to antenna equipment or unnecessary aircraft downtime.”

   Intelsat will eventually integrate its EpicNG satellites with its IntelsatONE terrestrial infrastructure, which includes teleport and fiber services, to provide Panasonic with a complete network infrastructure.

   Intelsat Executive Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Strategy Steve Spengler said the agreement is a major step forward for the operator’s plans in delivering infrastructure for its growing mobility segment, which it hopes to address through the completion of a dedicated global mobility fabric in early 2013.

   “Our integrated satellite and IntelsatONE terrestrial infrastructure provides a high performance, global platform for mobility leaders such as Panasonic that require a geographically diverse and advanced broadband infrastructure,” Spengler said in a statement. “The delivery of consumer broadband and television services for commercial flights is the latest development in the trend to be connected when on the move – whether on the ground, at sea or in the air – and one where Intelsat’s global satellite network enables broadband and video connectivity to virtually any point on the earth’s surface.”