Aeropuerto Internacional El Dorado, in Bogotá, Colombia. Photo: John Edison Camacho Cardona/Wikipedia Commons

Comtech EF Data, a subsidiary of Comtech Telecommunications that is based in Tempe, Arizona, was selected by Bansat S.A. to supply satellite communications ground equipment to support the Aeronautica Civil de Colombia’s backup communications network for 28 airports in Colombia.

The Aeronautica Civil de Colombia, Colombia’s Civil Aviation Authority (also known as Aerocivil), is a government entity responsible for developing and operating a system of air traffic control and navigation throughout the country. Comtech EF Data will deploy its CDM-425 Advanced Satellite Modem and LPOD C-Band Block Up Converter (BUC) to support the backup communications network. Its Forward Error Correction options comprise 18 VersaFEC ModCods and 74 VersaFEC-2 ModCods, permitting users to optimize for latency and coding gain for any link budget. 

Bansat S.A. CEO Luis Guillermo Sandoval said: “I believe in the strategic combination of Comtech EF Data’s technical expertise and the service support excellence of Bansat for the satellite portion of this contract. Together we will enable mission-critical services to Aerocivil using Comtech EF Data’s CDM-425 Advanced Satellite Modems. These modems will enable point-to-point links that will transport air traffic control communications between airports and three main cities including Bogotá, which will also operate with redundant Comtech C-Band LPODs.”