Intelsat (Commercial Aviation, ex-Gogo)
The satellite operator that bought Gogo's commercial aviation business in 2020 — now serving the Gogo branded portal across US airlines.
Provider Snapshot
About Intelsat (Commercial Aviation, ex-Gogo)
Intelsat is one of the largest satellite operators in the world, with a fleet of geostationary Ku- and C-band satellites. In December 2020, Intelsat acquired Gogo's commercial aviation business — which means the "Gogo" WiFi most US passengers see on American, Delta, United, and Alaska is now operated by Intelsat under the hood. Intelsat continues to invest in 2Ku, ATG 5G, and a multi-orbit roadmap including LEO partnerships.
History
Intelsat traces its lineage back to the 1964 founding of the international satellite communications consortium Intelsat. The modern Intelsat S.A. emerged through privatization and a 2008 merger with PanAmSat. It filed for Chapter 11 in May 2020 and emerged in 2022. The Gogo Commercial Aviation acquisition in December 2020 was a defining moment, giving Intelsat the airline relationships and aircraft installed base to complement its satellite fleet.
Airlines using Intelsat (Commercial Aviation, ex-Gogo) (7)
How Intelsat Compares
Intelsat is honest about the competitive challenge: Starlink is winning new airline contracts and existing Intelsat/Gogo customers are migrating. Intelsat's response is multi-orbit — combining its GEO Ku-band fleet with LEO partnerships (publicly with Eutelsat OneWeb) — but the rollout is slower than Starlink's organic momentum. The Gogo-branded portal remains a familiar US passenger experience, but its market share is declining.
| Intelsat | Starlink | |
|---|---|---|
| Orbit | GEO / ATG (high latency) | LEO (~30ms latency) |
| Typical Speed | 3–70 Mbps depending on aircraft and product (legacy ATG vs 2Ku vs 5G) | 100+ Mbps typical, 350+ peak |
| Latency | ~600ms (GEO) / 60–100ms (ATG) | ~20–44ms |
| Trajectory | Defending installed base | Rapid airline adoption |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Intelsat the same as Gogo?
For commercial aviation, effectively yes since December 2020. Intelsat owns and operates Gogo's former commercial aviation business, including the airline contracts, the ATG ground network, and the 2Ku satellite product. The "Gogo" portal in the cabin is now an Intelsat product.
Which airlines use Intelsat WiFi?
Through the Gogo Commercial Aviation business, Intelsat serves American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Alaska Airlines, regional carriers, and various international airlines on Ku-band. Many of these are concurrently rolling out Starlink on portions of their fleet.
How fast is Intelsat satellite WiFi?
It depends on the product. Legacy Gogo ATG (which Intelsat now runs) tops out around 3–10 Mbps shared. Intelsat/Gogo 2Ku Ku-band satellite typically runs 15–70 Mbps to the aircraft. The new 5G ATG network targets 25+ Mbps to the seat. None match Starlink's real-world 100+ Mbps.
Is Intelsat going to compete with Starlink?
Intelsat has publicly committed to a multi-orbit strategy combining its GEO satellites with LEO capacity from partners like Eutelsat OneWeb. The technical roadmap is real, but Starlink continues to win the bulk of new airline contracts. Intelsat's strategy is more about defending its installed base than out-competing Starlink head-to-head.
What's the difference between Intelsat and Inmarsat?
Two completely different companies. Intelsat operates Ku- and C-band satellites and now owns Gogo's commercial aviation business. Inmarsat (until 2023) operated L-band and Ka-band satellites focused on safety services and Global Xpress aviation broadband; it was acquired by Viasat in May 2023. Intelsat and Viasat (Inmarsat) are competitors.