Satcom Direct is the first Inmarsat SwiftBroadband (SBB) distribution partner to provision and enable the new SwiftBroadband high data rate (HDR) service with Honeywell avionics, nearly doubling in-flight data speeds available to business aviation.

In its latest "first" for business aviation, Satcom Direct has made HDR service available to SwiftBroadband customers, providing a faster and more efficient broadband connection. HDR enhances passengers' overall network connectivity experience by unlocking the ability to use high-bandwidth applications in-flight. The service can provide up to 650 kbps per streaming channel.

Customers with a Satcom Direct Router (SDR) can use Satcom Direct's exclusive SkyBond service to combine up to 2 channels, currently, providing speeds of up to 1.3 Mbps. This is approximately two times faster per channel than traditional SwiftBroadband in-flight connections.

"The number one request we get from operators, passengers and VVIP customers worldwide is faster internet. Satcom Direct is constantly developing and leveraging ways to increase airborne data speeds, so it's only natural we would be the first to bring HDR to business aviation. Checking email, streaming video, and internet browsing just got significantly faster for our customers and we couldn't be more pleased to be able to deliver it," said Jim Jensen, CEO and Founder of Satcom Direct.

Honeywell developed and tested HDR using its proven HSD-400 and HD-710 onboard hardware. The HDR service supports multiple new streaming configurations, including symmetrical and asymmetrical solutions, configurable in either half or full channel data rates.

This allows the operator to select a configuration based on their connectivity needs. It is available to operators with select Honeywell terminals and the purchase of a license key, with some compatible models requiring an on-wing software upgrade to enable the service.

Other firsts Satcom Direct has achieved in recent months include being first in business aviation to prove its services over Inmarsat's new Ka-band network in readiness for launch of the Jet Connex service; first to offer channel bonding via Cobham equipment for streaming over SwiftBroadband; first to provide global voice and text services using your number on your device at any altitude via its exclusive GlobalVT service; and it launched the world's first IT certification for aviation, AeroIT.