Munich, Germany, and Almaty, Kazakhstan, April 3rd, 2025: SkyFive and Freedom Telecom today announced their cooperation to deploy a broadband aviation network in Kazakhstan, based on SkyFive Air-to-Ground (A2G) technology.
Central Asia, with Kazakhstan as the region’s economic powerhouse, is among the fastest-growing aviation markets in Asia. At the same time, aircraft in the region are largely unconnected. To jointly address this opportunity, SkyFive and Freedom Telecom have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to provide inflight connectivity to airlines and other aircraft operators using SkyFive’s Air-to-Ground (A2G) solution.
After Freedom Telecom received regulatory approvals earlier this year, both parties now target to deploy A2G coverage for the main air route of the country. As the 9th largest country in the world, Kazakhstan is also a key overflight corridor for routes between Europe and Asia. Foreign airlines equipped with A2G will be seamlessly able to roam into the new network, which will be compatible with other SkyFive A2G networks. This development further strengthens the case for A2G as a viable inflight connectivity solution even for long-haul flights.
— CCO of SkyFive
The cooperation with Freedom Telecom marks our entry into Central Asian aviation market. Kazakhstan is important in its own right, represents a significant step toward a contiguous A2G corridor across the Eurasian supercontinent, and is a major addition to our global A2G footprint.
— CEO of Freedom Telecom
As the leading operator in the public Wi-Fi sector, Freedom Telecom has already provided free Wi-Fi coverage to the international airports of Almaty and Astana, and we are committed to extending connectivity to all airports across Kazakhstan by the end of this year. Our partnership with SkyFive to introduce Air-to-Ground connectivity to Kazakhstan’s aviation sector builds on this vision, allowing us to take the inflight connectivity experience to a whole new level for both domestic and international travelers, keeping them connected seamlessly on the ground and in the sky.
About SkyFive:
SkyFive provides Inflight Connectivity services based on its unique Air-to-Ground technology. The company’s mission is to deliver true broadband services to airline passengers and enable the real-time transfer of vast amounts of operational aircraft data. SkyFive connects aircraft of any kind and size through giant cells in the sky, thereby leveraging the performance and cost benefits of the ever-evolving mobile ecosystem. SkyFive was established as a spin-off from Nokia in 2019, is headquartered in Munich, Germany, and operates several sites for R&D and service delivery in major aviation markets.
About Freedom Telecom:
Freedom Telecom is a pioneering telecommunications operator in Kazakhstan, building a state-of-the-art fiber-optic network from the ground up. In just two years, the company has constructed over 2,500 kilometers of fiber infrastructure and connected 24,000 households to high-speed broadband internet. Freedom Telecom has already launched free Wi-Fi in 150 locations across the country with plans to continuously expand this number. The company aims to achieve blanket Wi-Fi coverage across all cities in Kazakhstan, ensuring widespread access to modern connectivity. Additionally, Freedom Telecom is developing the "West-East" fiber-optic hyper-highway and Tier-4 data centers, with investments totaling approximately $200 million USD. These initiatives position Kazakhstan as an alternative route for international data transit between Europe and East Asia, enhancing the country’s competitiveness in digital services and creating opportunities to attract leading global IT companies.
Maxim Olar
