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Show HN: Will my flight have Starlink?

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Re: Show HN: Will my flight have Starlink?

#241

Post by 6thbit »

disconcision wrote: post #228
6thbit wrote: post #181

Why does it work on the plane? are the constant handoffs between satellites not enough to break connections or cause extremely high packet loss for it to suck? is there a speed at which it would break?

speed of plane is about 3% speed of satellite so i wouldn't expect handoffs to be much more frequent than with stationary receivers?

I see, stationary receiver already has to deal with this and plane speed doesn’t add much to the equation cause satellites already go brr.

Honestly that wasn’t intuitive in my head but makes a lot of sense, thanks!

Re: Show HN: Will my flight have Starlink?

#242

Post by raw_anon_1111 »

gpt5 wrote: post #4

One nice thing about Starlink is that they force the airlines to offer it for free. I’m not sure why SpaceX is doing this, but it was surprising enough to me that my international WiFi was not only fast, but completely free that I researched it.

Delta has had free high speed satellite internet for years. I’m going to start flying Southwest more this year but they also advertise free internet. I don’t know how fast it is.

Re: Show HN: Will my flight have Starlink?

#243

Post by raw_anon_1111 »

kevincox wrote: post #41
theultdev wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Joining United MileagePlus is completely free, you just sign up. About the same work as filling out a hotel wifi login.

Completely free as in you don't have to give them money. But you need to give personal information which also has value.

You realize you have to give them the same informaron to even step foot on the plane?

Re: Show HN: Will my flight have Starlink?

#244

Post by FireBeyond »

Doohickey-d wrote: post #79
tombot wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Here’s a hack, get yourself a cheap eSIM data only plan from an alternative UK network (VOXI, Talkmobile etc) if you main network doesn’t have connectivity; they will!

There's even eSIMs specifically marketed as being a "backup" esim, with coverage on _all_ UK networks. At least on my android, you could set the second esim as a "backup" that it would switch to for data if the main one lost connection (it took a few seconds, so it wasn't an "always connected" experience, probably because the phone wants to save power) Lots of options if you search for "esim UK all networks".

I used to be a first responder with a Firstnet setup (not just the plan discount, but the actual black SIM card) that could roam AT&T to Verizon to TMO as needed, so was as close to universal connectivity as feasible. Though (probably relatedly) it was always 1-2 generations behind (many areas were still ATT LTE, maybe 5GE, when they were rolling out 5G).

And the clusterfuck when I tried to transition my account back to normal, where an $8 balance that wasn't reconciled triggered the suspension of my AT&T whole family account, but when I tried to pay, no-one in FirstNet support or AT&T could tell me how much to pay or where or my account number (and this is in the store), until a poor store and a poor phone CSR spent THREE HOURS getting it resolved. "I am literally trying to give you the money to take care of this." "We don't know where to have you pay that money to fix this."

I was an early adopter, but FML.

Re: Show HN: Will my flight have Starlink?

#245

Post by raw_anon_1111 »

oceanplexian wrote: post #18
bpodgursky wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nobody wants their brand associated with price gouging and half-broken in-flight credit card payment portals, and Starlink is better enough than any alternative that they can play hardball with airlines.

Delta is still stubbornly refusing to adopt Starlink. I've got status with them and have started booking with other airlines b/c it doesn't matter how nice the seats are if you can't get any work done. Most airline revenue comes from business flights, I don't think they realize how important this is to their customer base.

Delta has had high speed internet for years on their flights. I’m Platinum Medallion

Re: Show HN: Will my flight have Starlink?

#246

Post by gowld »

devin wrote: post #126

I've written it elsewhere, but: it is such a shame that the United States saw fit to run electricity _everywhere_, no matter how rural your location, but instead of do the same for rural internet we had to wait for... a private company to launch a global network of satellites. Yes, this post is about internet access while traveling 500mph, which is a different problem, but it is so messed up that people fall over the…

Why is wire better than terrestrial wireless? Isn't terrestrial wireless how most of Africa caught up to more earlier-developed regions in telecom?

Re: Show HN: Will my flight have Starlink?

#247

Post by jfoster »

gpt5 wrote: post #4

One nice thing about Starlink is that they force the airlines to offer it for free. I’m not sure why SpaceX is doing this, but it was surprising enough to me that my international WiFi was not only fast, but completely free that I researched it.

I think this approach gets the whole industry to adopt it.

Consider the opposite approach. If they let airlines charge any amount for it, the airlines that installed it would make it expensive. No one would use it. Other airlines would feel no pressure to offer it.

By making it free, it gets used, and eventually depended upon. SpaceX are making free wifi the expectation from consumers on flights.

Re: Show HN: Will my flight have Starlink?

#248

Post by raw_anon_1111 »

SR2Z wrote: post #17
light_hue_1 wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Nobody wants their brand associated with price gouging and half-broken in-flight credit card payment portals The airlines have no problem with this. T-mobile has no problem with it either.

T-Mobile also offers free Wifi on airplanes.

Only if the airplane uses much slower ground based Gogo (?). I use it every now and then when taking the 45 minute flight from ATL to my parents home in South GA

Re: Show HN: Will my flight have Starlink?

#249

Post by raw_anon_1111 »

AndroTux wrote: post #147
fdghrtbrt wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Right. I don't know what I find more disturbing: that people are this addicted, or that they don't care. Either way, I'm with you.

So let’s get rid of internet on the highway and in trains, too. Because it’s pretty much exactly the same thing. One just happens to be airborne.

Its cellphone based and has the same issues you would have just using your cellphone.
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