In some places, especially over oceans and in remote areas, there are times when radio transmissions from planes cannot be heard. The satellite company Inmarsat is offering to provide satellite reporting services to ICAO at no cost if the company’s proposal is chosen.
Also, aviation officials in the United States have ordered plane manufacturers to replace black boxes that have batteries that operate for 30 days with batteries that work for 90 days. Airlines based in the United States will have these new black boxes in all of their planes by 2020.