The Critical Link

The Seamless Air Alliance (SAA), a key player in setting global standards for inflight connectivity (IFC), has unveiled a groundbreaking initiative named Viper. This venture, named after a fusion of ‘vital’ and ‘performance,’ is designed to monitor and report passenger connectivity experience and performance. The SAA connectivity metrics, a result of a collaborative effort involving airlines, satellite operators, and service providers, have been a significant step forward. However, the task of tracking performance metrics has so far been the responsibility of service providers, and airlines have lacked direct access to metrics.

I wrote last year about how the SAA was working to create common definitions, tools, measurements, and standards to close the existing quality gap in the passenger experience. Despite contracted service-level agreements (SLAs) in place between connectivity providers and airlines, there have been cases where performance measurements against the SLA are met, yet poor passenger experiences still occur. The industry needed to come together and understand the entire nature of the connectivity path, from the point of presence on the ground up to the satellite, down to the aircraft, and ultimately to the passenger.

As co-chair of the Technology Committee, I saw first-hand how the industry came together and established these IFC performance metrics. Now, the SAA Viper software platform is taking the next logical step. The Viper service platform collects satellite network performance data and delivers actionable insights to airlines and their service providers, leveraging the same SAA-defined performance metrics. It is the first and only third-party service to validate the passenger IFC experience against the SAA standards.

In a period of rapid technological advancement in space, the SAA and Viper are supporting the transition of the IFC market to a multi-orbit market space. As quoted in the SAA press release, David Scotland, Inflight Product & Experience Director at Alaska Airlines (ALK), stated:

“By leveraging this data, Viper enables airlines and operators to work together to fine tune satellite networks and deliver the best connectivity experience for our guests.”

The Viper service, available at an affordable, flat-rate subscription fee, includes monitoring of every plane in an airline’s fleet. This accessibility is crucial in meeting the modern passenger expectation that connectivity should be seamless and ubiquitous, regardless of location. For the first time, the industry has a clear view of how agreed-to network and quality-of-experience metrics can impact customer IFC satisfaction at the seat.

I’m proud of Telesat’s work with the SAA, which has been a progressive industry collaboration leading up to this service launch. Due to its origins from within SAA the Viper platform will continue to benefit and evolve with input from industry. Telesat is well-positioned to help our many service provider customers be compliant with SAA performance metrics with our GEO and LEO satellite services. Our team will be at the APEX Expo in Long Beach, California October 28-30^th. Stop by the Telesat booth #1429 to learn more about the SAA, Viper, and Telesat’s advanced LEO network capabilities.