SITA climbs to the cloud to enhance air transport IT

In its third significant enhancement move in the space of the past three weeks, leading air transport industry technology provider SITA is to deploy solutions from Cradlepoint as part of “transformative” cloud-based secure mobile to Wi-Fi solutions.

With around 2,500 customers, SITA’s offerings see use at more than 1,000 airports, aiming to deliver a connected aircraft experience to customers of more than 18,000 aircraft globally. The company said its communications network connects every corner of the globe, bridging 45% of the air transport community’s data exchange.

SITA Mobile to Wi-Fi a range of solutions encompassing initial ordering through delivery, implementation, support and ongoing maintenance. Its set up includes routers, NetCloud Manager and a cloud-based network management platform from the Ericsson-owned technology company. The deployment is designed to ensure “best-in-class” customer service and network performance through a fully managed service.

Cradlepoint’s fixed and mobile routers use precision GPS, AVL and telemetry data to transform operational efficiency, improve management decision-making and other functions for on-time service sustainability, thus improving each passenger’s travelling experience.

Some of the uses for this new solution will include: off-airport passenger processing operations, software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN) backup for remote sites, quick access for new airline routes, pilot/crew access in cockpit, and aircraft data connectivity. SITA will also be offering the new technology to clients across the travel and transport sector moving forward.

Commenting on the deployment, James Bristow, senior vice-president for EMEA at Cradlepoint said: “For 75 years, SITA has delivered state-of-the-art answers for communications and data exchange to the aviation industry, and other areas of transportation.

“Cradlepoint is proud to be a part of the next phases of innovation for airport operating systems. Our best-in-class 5G and LTE routers, along with network management, will add totally secure, reliable and agile connectivity, together with the capacity for future innovation to drive continuous improvements across functions on the airport real estate.”

Martin Smillie, SITA senior vice-president for communications and data exchange (CDE), added: “This collaboration brings together two industry leaders and provides compelling cloud-based mobile to Wi-Fi communications technology for our airport customers. 

“By combining our SITA suite of innovative solutions with Cradlepoint Wireless WAN solutions, we are delivering the next generation of agile products for secure, reliable and sustainable enhancements for our airport, airline and ground-handling customers in all areas of the airport and remote from airport infrastructure.” 

The new deployment follows SITA announcing a five-year deal with Heathrow airport to strengthen the UK air industry’s major hub’s digital infrastructure, managing its extensive network as the airport continues to expand and improve its IT. This includes supporting thousands of network access switches and wireless access points, and thousands more analogue and internet phone lines.

It also follows the recent launch of an improved version of the Mobile Data Access (MDA) wireless communications solution, enhanced to provide secure, reliable and business-grade cellular eSIM and SIM connectivity across all 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G technologies, extending global reach to more than 200 countries.