It used to feel like a sanctuary going on a plane and being forced offline, no social media, no emails, no ads, no constant poking of my dopamine receptors. One of the last refuges.
How Inflight Wifi Works
51–60 of 129 posts
Re: How Inflight Wifi Works
#52Does anyone have details on the ground based cell networks used for some planes? Are they partnering with a provider like Verizon Wireless to use their existing service, which I don't believe is the case unless they are aiming their antennas into the air on certain towers for them. Or do they just lease space for their own antennas on towers and aim them upwards? and then pay for bandwidth, etc?
GoGo is the big ground-based provider. GoGo uses a network of cell towers that point up rather than down. An antenna under the plane connects to towers much like civilian cellphones. [1]
By contrast, Row 44 (used by Southwest and some international carriers) is a satellite-based system. An antenna on top of the plane connects to a geostationary satellite. [2]
Other services do one or both of the above. [3]
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gogo_Inflight_Internet [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Row_44 [3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OnAir_(telecommunications)
Re: How Inflight Wifi Works
#53does anyone know a highly reliable mobile satellite internet solution? price is less-ish of an object but i've been looking for something to take with me on extended camping trips and remote locations to do work or for emergencies (also thinking of buying property somewhere without good wired internet). haven't found much so far except for extremely expensive (5-figure) expedition type rigs.
Should improve over the next few years. There are several large new Ka-band systems either currently coming online (e.g. Inmarsat GX) or under development, and market pressure to build smaller, cheaper satellite terminals.
Re: How Inflight Wifi Works
#54Formally used for military communications
Probably should be formerly.
Re: How Inflight Wifi Works
#55I mainly do trans-pacific flights. In such long (>12h) flights I can't use wifi even if its on offer, as it chews through precious battery time too fast. I would kill for plane seats with power plugs, or even just USB power.
I typically find I can get ~6 hours on most modern laptops, which means far more hours than I have the patience to stare at a computer screen for.
Last time I flew internationally, I brought a 2015 macbook pro retina with a hard drive full of videos. I only ended up getting 4 of the advertised 9 hours run time running VLC with the brightness turned all the way down. Luckily, there were power outlets hidden under the seats. I don't understand why power outlets aren't the number 1 selling point for airlines that have them.
Re: How Inflight Wifi Works
#56It used to feel like a sanctuary going on a plane and being forced offline, no social media, no emails, no ads, no constant poking of my dopamine receptors. One of the last refuges.
I thoroughly enjoy driving due to the fact that I know I can't do anything productive on my phone or computer. It's one of the few times I can relax myself and enjoy the experience...something that is dwindling on airplanes as the WIFI technology gets better and better.
Re: How Inflight Wifi Works
#57"Prior to the integration of in-flight Wi-Fi, most airline passengers passed their time at 30,000 feet completely disconnected from the world below them — but these days, that’s a highly uncommon occurrence."
Am I missing something here? 99% of the flights I take don't offer Wi-Fi, and in most cases not even power outlets. And those that do have Wi-Fi seem to be charging 30% of my monthly internet bill to provide it for a mere few hours. Like, no thanks.
Re: How Inflight Wifi Works
#58Of all the things I want on a plane, WiFi ranks a lot lower than having a consistent power outlet at my seat. There's nothing worse than having Wifi but a laptop that can only last a % of the flight.
Emirates' largest planes have universal AC outlets on most seatbacks, as well as USB. They also have WiFi: no charge for 10 MB and $1 for 600 MB. All of that in economy class.
Re: How Inflight Wifi Works
#59Of all the things I want on a plane, WiFi ranks a lot lower than having a consistent power outlet at my seat. There's nothing worse than having Wifi but a laptop that can only last a % of the flight.
I'd love to see an airline get rid of seat back TVs entirely and just provide power outlets instead. There are already systems that let you stream movies for free over in-flight wi-fi - given that most of us have a smartphone (if not a bigger screened device) the experience would probably be better. Would suck for those without smartphones, though. Maybe they could lend out crappy Android tablets to that minority of…
Some low cost airlines have already begun doing this I believe
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3284231/End-inflight...
Re: How Inflight Wifi Works
#60What's with the insistence on demand for streaming music or video on a plane? Do these people also forgo packing a suitcase and just rebuy everything as needed?
> Do these people also forgo packing a suitcase and just rebuy everything as needed? I've heard that it's actually a pretty viable travel strategy in some areas of the world.
I know people who do that when they come visit America from the EU. High end brands are a lot cheaper here.