SmartSky Networks has initiated the final site completion phase of its next generation air-to-ground (ATG) network for business and commercial aviation, which is to launch later this year. SmartSky's airborne network, which began its nationwide deployment a few years ago, incorporates many 5G wireless technologies that have been experienced during number of successful inflight demonstrations for the media and market. The company's technology has received the critical threshold regulatory certifications from the FAA and the Federal Communications Commission.

“We are able to provide customers an experience in-flight comparable to their in-home experience,” states chairman and CEO Haynes Griffin. “We have 128 patents granted and another 90 pending to protect the many innovations required to make a next generation network live up to customer expectations.

“We agree with the market that cybersecurity is critical to business, and therefore we won't put our customers' data at risk by relying on certain companies under scrutiny.” Chinese firm ZTE is being investigated by the US government.

SmartSky uses 5G technology and the network's design can incorporate advancements appropriate for ATG as those technology upgrades become available. The company's aviation network already includes many 5G components and features in use in new terrestrial network builds.

Griffin continues: “The 5G technology already demonstrated in our network is a clear competitive edge in the market. Now that we're in the final stages of deployment, all the hard work and years of effort are about to pay off as customers will be able to use the network in a matter of months.”