Secure, Managed VoIP Service on Airbus A320 Head-of-State Aircraft

Advanced Features of SwiftBroadband Leveraged to Enable Multiple, Simultaneous Secure Calls

Last month EMS Aviation and its Paris-based partner Eclipse reported that they recently completed installation of an advanced, managed Voice-over-Internet-Protocol (VoIP) service with a Middle Eastern Head of State Airbus A320 aircraft. Eclipse, an Inmarsat service provider and avionics dealer, and EMS teamed up to implement this secure end-to-end voice solution, which is the first of its kind on an A320 aircraft.

The managed VoIP service takes advantage of the advanced features of EMS Aviation’s eNfusion® avionics suite to access and dynamically manage various Quality of Service (QoS) SwiftBroadband streaming IP data sessions. This feature allows the system to more efficiently offer passengers multiple simultaneous VoIP telephony calls, which can help reduce costs. As a managed end-to-end service it also offers the highest possible level of telephony security.

“Eclipse developed this application of VoIP in 2009,” said Marc Pinault, Eclipse chief executive officer. “The operator’s feedback on the system has been very positive. As a result, cabin voice on this aircraft is exclusively VoIP using SwiftBroadband. Our hardware and backbone software, coupled with EMS Aviation’s CCU-200 networking device and HSD-440 High-speed Data Transceiver, are what make the system unique.”

The system leverages both EMS Aviation and Eclipse technology in the ground infrastructure on Vizada’s Ground Earth Station network backbone located in France.

“This is an important milestone for EMS Aviation,” said Nim Evatt, EMS Aviation general manager. “We have been looking for new ways to offer users the best of SwiftBroadband. Our networking technology continues to push the envelope by offering this latest innovation in airborne telephony services.”

About the System

The Airbus A320 Aircraft is equipped with an eNfusion AMT-3800 High-gain Antenna, an HSD-440 High-speed Data Terminal simultaneously supporting Inmarsat Classic Aero and Swift 64 or SwiftBroadband services, a next-generation CCU-200 Communications Convergence Unit, and a CNX-200 Network Accelerator. When a voice call is placed, the system, which uses a QoS connection dynamically and automatically, increases the streaming rate associated with the call, allowing more voice calls to be placed simultaneously.