Inmarsat Signs CTTIC and ADCC as China Distribution Partners

Inmarsat has signed a contract with China Transport Telecommunication Information Group (CTTIC) to build a local SwiftBroadband-Safety (SB-S) satellite communication operation platform in China.

In addition, Inmarsat, CTTIC and Aviation Data Communication Corporation (ADCC) will jointly provide the advanced SB-S aviation safety service to the fast-growing Chinese aviation industry.

Under the partnership, Chinese airlines will have access to a comprehensive package that integrates Inmarsat’s Classic Aero and next-generation IP-based SB-S services. This will enable them, for the first time, to process all their data in China and fulfill the Civil Aviation Authority of China (CAAC)’s Airline Operations Centre (AOC) voice mandate and flight tracking requirements.

Captain Mary McMillan, Vice President of Aviation Safety and Operational Services at Inmarsat, said, “We are proud to be part of this partnership, which represents a major step into the future for the aviation industry in China. Our Classic Aero and SB-S platforms will enable CTTIC and ADCC to provide the most advanced satellite communications services wherever Chinese aircraft are flying, whether over the ocean or land.”

Inmarsat’s Classic Aero service is used by more than 90% of the world’s oceanic aircraft for communication, navigation and surveillance. The company’s next-generation SB-S platform, which was recently introduced into commercial service, is the first and only global, secure broadband platform for operations and safety communications. It offers airlines unprecedented visibility into their operations to improve operational efficiency and profitability.

The commercial service introduction follows a successful in-flight evaluation on Hawaiian Airlines’ Boeing 767-300 aircraft and installations on the airline’s entire Airbus A321neo fleet.

SB-S is also in flight evaluations with Shenzhen Airlines and United Airlines, and has been selected by Airbus as a Light Cockpit Satcom (LCS) solution on its A320 and A330 families.

It has undergone successful evaluation by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)’s Performance-Based Aviation Rulemaking Committee (PARC) as a platform to provide direct data link communication between pilots and air traffic control (ATC).

It received the prestigious 2018 Jane’s ATC Award in the Technology category.

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