Viasat aligns with MIT report on in-flight connectivity performance

Image courtesy Viasat

The report, titled ‘Redefining In-Flight Connectivity in Business Aviation: What Really Matters to Private Jet
Passengers’, observes that connectivity performance has traditionally been measured by peak network speeds, even though this singular metric doesn’t reflect the moments that truly matter to private jet passengers – such as joining a board meeting without the connection dropping, closing multimillion dollar deals without disruption or watching crucial sporting moments without buffering.

The industry must move beyond measuring speed alone to focus on Quality of Service (QoS), incorporating
broader metrics such as latency, jitter, packet loss and bandwidth, asserts the report. More critically, it advocates that business aviation in-flight connectivity providers elevate Quality of Experience (QoE) as their ultimate ‘north star’ – translating technical performance into simple measurements that passengers can instantly understand.

“Peak network speeds have been the primary measure of business aviation in-flight connectivity performance for too long. However, a single, holistic QoE score analysing several key metrics provides a more sophisticated measurement – one that looks beyond what the network delivered to whether users accomplished their objectives without friction,” stated Michael Schrage, Research Fellow at MIT Sloan School of Management and the report’s author.

“In business aviation, where even momentary outages can ruin multi-million-dollar deals, the move from engineering metrics to experience outcomes must be navigated at altitude and speed. It’s a fundamental shift that recognises connectivity as mission-critical infrastructure, impacting passenger satisfaction and aircraft utilisation. Longer-term, it can evolve with smart AI-driven approaches that predict and optimize outcomes in real-time, not just measure them.”

Viasat has reinforced the report’s findings with the launch of a market-first concept for its premium JetXP inflight broadband service. Designed with business aviation in mind, the new iQe (In-flight Quality of Experience) concept will redefine connectivity measurement by focusing on the real-time, end-to-end experience of every passenger. The new iQe leverages AI and advanced analytics to constantly monitor a comprehensive range of network metrics, delivering a single, intuitive QoE score that instantly shows connectivity performance at a glance.

“It’s clear that the business aviation industry is shifting its focus from peak speed alone to the overall quality of experience. But what’s the best way to truly measure that, as outlined in this MIT report?” said Kai Tang, Head of Business Aviation, Viasat. “Our new iQe application provides the answer. This unique concept delivers direct visibility into JetXP’s connectivity performance for principals, flight crews and other stakeholders, incorporating all relevant network metrics and presenting the findings in a simple and easy-to-understand format, which aligns with MIT’s recommended approach. It will be available early next year through major app stores as well as a browser based version, with secure login credentials to ensure user privacy.”

JetXP builds on Viasat’s proven track record for delivering consistent, reliable and high-performance global
connectivity, backed by extensive regulatory approval across the world, including strategic markets such as
India and China, together with the concierge customer service and 24/7 support of its distribution partners –
Collins Aerospace, Gogo and Honeywell. As Viasat’s most advanced in-flight connectivity solution for business aviation, JetXP brings together the legacy Jet ConneX and Viasat Ka services under one unified brand, while also unleashing the full power of Viasat’s Ka-band network. More than 2,100 customers are now using JetXP’s features, such as uncapped speeds and increased network prioritisation.

In addition, capacity has been significantly expanded in key regions worldwide, including a five-fold boost across the United States, where an estimated 65% of global business jet traffic originates. These additional Ka-band deliver an even greater and more resilient experience, supporting data-intensive applications – such as HD video conferencing, content streaming and generative AI – across multiple devices at the same time.