• Our engineers at work installing the first EAN antennas under a perfectly blue sky...soon airplanes like the one above will fly across Europe with LTE aboard.

• No EAN connectivity without electricity which in this case comes from below. The necessary cables are installed in already existing shafts where possible.

• The distribution box provides the connection between the antennas and the core network.

• Security onsite is the utmost priority and careful preparation for the installation work that is done here is therefore key.

• Lots of cabling to be coordinated! But our technical teams know which plug goes where.

• Before the three antennas are installed on top of the mast, the equipment is checked one last time.

• No screw can be loose so every last one is being checked and securely tightened.

• And now onward and upward with the antennas onto the mast. Luckily, our technicians are not afraid of heights!

• Excellent climbing skills and a good harness are definitely needed on this job!

• It is done! The first 3 antennas in Hampshire, in the South of England are now in place on top of the mast. Now on to the other approximately 300 sites across Europe...

The European Aviation Network makes further progress: The first LTE antennas are now in place in Hampshire in the South of England. EAN is the world’s first combined high-speed network for the airspace above Europe. Deutsche Telekom leads the project jointly with Inmarsat, the industry leader and pioneer of mobile satellite communications. Two strong partners working together to enable high-speed internet access on board as the EAN seamlessly combines satellite connectivity from a new Inmarsat S-band satellite with an LTE-based ground network developed and run by Deutsche Telekom. The EAN ground network will consist of approximately 300 sites across Europe, where the special antennas will be installed. We will use already existing locations and will be working with current partners wherever possible. In England, for example, independent infrastructure provider Wireless Infrastructure Group provides access to its towers and T-Systems UK make significant contributions to that work. By mid-2017, passengers will be able to enjoy high-speed internet for work or entertainment, using apps, reading e-mails, or playing online games. The foundation stone is now laid: The first three antennas of the first site of this innovative solution are installed, and work will continue in the UK and elsewhere in Europe. First visual impressions of the installation work for the EAN ground network can be found in our slideshow and also in our video.