Inside ThinKom’s latest antenna developments: Q&A with CCO Jeff Sare
Last year Telesat and ThinKom announced an expanded development partnership to certify ThinKom’s ThinAir Ka2517 antenna for the Telesat Lightspeed LEO program. Since then, industry veteran Jeff Sare joined the ThinKom executive leadership team as Chief Commercial Officer for inflight connectivity, responsible for the company’s growth and expansion of the ThinAir antenna product line.
Telesat sat down with Jeff to discuss antenna developments and how ThinKom’s portfolio addresses the growing expectation for high performance inflight connectivity – on every flight, anywhere in the world – and the key factors that must be addressed to meet passenger expectations.
How does ThinKom’s hardware support the next-generation ecosystem of connectivity everywhere?
We know that the future of connectivity everywhere starts with hardware that’s both agile and proven. Our ThinAir® terminals have delivered unmatched performance across GEO, MEO, and LEO networks – on every route, from the equator to the poles – backed by tens of millions of flight hours on thousands of aircraft.
Now, we’re taking that capability into the next generation with Telesat Lightspeed, leveraging its global footprint to get the most from available spectrum and capacity.
Airlines have different needs, so we offer a portfolio approach: the Ka2517, Ka1717, and soon the Ka2517 Plus, that will provide true multi-link, multi-band, multi-orbit flexibility.
Simply put, ThinKom isn’t just keeping up with the connectivity revolution. We’re enabling it, giving operators the performance, efficiency, and flexibility to stand out in a fully connected sky.
Airlines must be supported in high-density, high-demand environments, often near major cities that also require urban and maritime capacity. How does ThinKom maintain performance near hubs and on the ground at hubs?
High-performance connectivity isn’t just about covering the globe. It is about excelling where demand is most intense. Spectrum is at a premium near major hubs, in urban corridors, and across busy maritime lanes. Our patented VICTS technology is designed for precisely these contentious environments, extracting more usable capacity – more megabits – from every megahertz regardless of orbit or network.
When combined with the Telesat Lightspeed enterprise-class architecture, which can dynamically allocate multi-gigabit capacity to demand hotspots, our Ka2517 terminal can deliver over 1.5 Gbps per aircraft. Airlines increasingly inquire about the maximum throughput of terminals in their RFPs to ensure the equipment they select today can meet ever-increasing passenger demand.
While delivering high performance gate-to-gate is critical, so are the operational impacts of the technology selected. ThinKom’s efficiency isn’t only about maximizing spectrum, it’s also about doing it with the industry’s lowest power requirements. Lower power demand means less heat, (and less cost) which enables unlimited operation in all climates without the cooling constraints of other technologies. We deliver proven reliability in real-world conditions with over a decade of global deployments.
Airlines want to know that installation is easy and minimizes the time an aircraft is out of service. How do the line-fit offerings from Boeing and Airbus play into that need?
From an installation and operational readiness standpoint, flexibility is key. Our Ka2517 is Airbus line-fit qualified and selected as the HBCplus antenna of choice for Ka-band, with Telesat Lightspeed now part of that program. In our program with Boeing, all ThinKom models are offered as a line-fit option under Buyer-Furnished Equipment, allowing airlines to receive aircraft with Ka-band hardware already installed and activated with their provider of choice. Both programs ensure that new aircraft are delivered for immediate IFC services, eliminating downtime.
How does ThinKom ensure that ThinAir antennas remain future-constellation compatible once they are installed, helping airlines avoid a costly swap for new technology?
Future compatibility is built into our DNA. The ThinAir open architecture means airlines can adopt new providers or satellite constellations with minimal aircraft downtime, often with just a modem upgrade. This ensures that hardware installed today is ready for tomorrow’s networks. For Telesat, this means there are already hundreds of aircraft in service that can easily access Telesat Lightspeed services.
What work is still required to ensure compatibility between ThinAir antennas and Telesat Lightspeed?
Our collaboration with Telesat began in the constellation’s early design phase. We’ve already tested early satellite hardware with excellent results. The final steps – integrating next-gen modems and securing Type Approval – are targeted for completion before global services begin. And with Telesat’s decades of proven experience navigating regulatory frameworks and market access, we’re confident in a smooth activation path.
What key takeaways about ThinKom would you like to leave with The Critical Link readers?
Our solutions deliver superior performance where it matters most, scale seamlessly with new technology, and help keep airlines ahead of the competition in an industry where exceptional connectivity is a key driver for passenger loyalty.
