Photo: Gilat

Intelsat has placed a multimillion-dollar order for Gilat Satellite Networks‘ SkyEdge IV Taurus modems to expand its capabilities the in-flight connectivity (IFC) arena, the companies announced Monday.

SkyEdge IV Taurus is an ultra-high-performance modem for IFC designed to provide Wi-Fi and IPTV for passengers on commercial airlines, regional aircraft, and business jets. Taurus is backward compatible, preserving past investments with the proven SkyEdge II-c platform, already deployed globally. SkyEdge IV, launched earlier this month by Gilat, is a scalable, next-generation software-centric satcom ground system optimized for multi-orbit constellations and very high throughput satellites (VHTS).

“Giving our customers the ability to provide air travelers the ultimate in-flight online experience is very important to us here at Intelsat. That’s why we continue to work with Gilat and are embracing their Taurus aero modem solution as a key element in our IFC offering. With Taurus enhancing our in-flight capabilities, we stand ready to capture a larger share of the resurgent IFC market,” Dave Bijur, senior vice president of Commercial Aviation at Intelsat, said in a statement.

Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Intelsat has placed a number of orders with Gilat this year for technology to enable IFC services. Intelsat announced plans to use Gilat’s SkyEdge II-c system to expand commercial and business aviation services in Asia and to use the new SkyEdge IV platform to provide expanded capacity from the Intelsat IS-40e satellite for in-flight connectivity and cellular backhaul services in North America.