SkyFive India Pvt. Ltd., a subsidiary of SkyFive AG, is the first company in India to receive an IFMC license for Air-to-Ground (A2G)-based services.

The license, issued by the Ministry of Telecommunications, marks another milestone in the company’s journey to provide affordable broadband internet access to passengers in India, the third-largest and fastest-growing aviation market in the world.

Although ground-based mobile services have already seen significant penetration in India, most aircraft have not been connected until now, primarily due to the limited performance and prohibitive cost of legacy systems. In contrast, A2G leverages the cellular technology of the mobile ecosystem to achieve high throughput at minimal cost, allowing for dramatic reductions in unit costs through mass adoption.

A2G is based on a network of base stations with antennas pointing skyward. Aircraft only need a coffee-cup-sized antenna on their fuselage, which can be installed very quickly. The A2G network is exclusively for aircraft and carries all data within India, making it a secure and sovereign solution. Similar networks are already in commercial operation in Europe and the Middle East.

Saurav Mukherjee — Director of SkyFive India “We are extremely grateful for the IFMC license. For us, it is both a privilege and an obligation. We are convinced that A2G is a perfect fit for the demanding Indian market, and we are determined to replicate the incredible success of terrestrial mobile broadband in the aircraft cabin next.”

About SkyFive AG

SkyFive AG, headquartered in Germany, is a global leader in Air-to-Ground (A2G) connectivity. Its Indian subsidiary, SkyFive India, was founded in 2024 to bring this transformative technology to the Indian aviation market. Together, they are committed to delivering true broadband in the sky, enabling seamless connectivity for passengers and real-time data transmission for airlines.

About SkyFive India

SkyFive India is on a mission to bring every Indian air traveller online. With the power of Air-to-Ground technology, we aim to democratize in-flight connectivity across the nation – making high-speed internet in the skies as accessible as it is on the ground. As India continues to soar as one of the fastest-growing aviation markets, SkyFive India is proud to contribute to its digital transformation.

Featured image credited to Lufthansa Technik