Live data from Hacker News

Southwest Airlines Offering In-Flight iMessaging for $2 Per Day

macrumors.com

1–10 of 37 posts

Re: Southwest Airlines Offering In-Flight iMessaging for $2 Per Day

#3
Perhaps I am missing something as I have not been following the issue very closely.

Didn't the FAA recently announce that use of mobile devices during flight, or gate-to-gate, is now allowed?

What is the incentive to pay $2 to send iMessages vs. simply turning on your data connection & sending iMessage as you would regularly?

Is the issue that Southwest Airlines has not opted into the new FAA regulations? Is cellular coverage poor during most flights (I admittedly haven't tried using my cellphone during flights)?

Re: Southwest Airlines Offering In-Flight iMessaging for $2 Per Day

#5

Perhaps I am missing something as I have not been following the issue very closely. Didn't the FAA recently announce that use of mobile devices during flight, or gate-to-gate, is now allowed? What is the incentive to pay $2 to send iMessages vs. simply turning on your data connection & sending iMessage as you would regularly? Is the issue that Southwest Airlines has not opted into the new FAA regulations? Is cellular…

cell coverage is poor.

Re: Southwest Airlines Offering In-Flight iMessaging for $2 Per Day

#6

Perhaps I am missing something as I have not been following the issue very closely. Didn't the FAA recently announce that use of mobile devices during flight, or gate-to-gate, is now allowed? What is the incentive to pay $2 to send iMessages vs. simply turning on your data connection & sending iMessage as you would regularly? Is the issue that Southwest Airlines has not opted into the new FAA regulations? Is cellular…

Use of devices in airplane mode is okay. No data/4G connections allowed during flight (though that's hard to enforce, it is also damn hard to get a worthwhile signal and will quickly drain your battery as your phone searches for service).

Re: Southwest Airlines Offering In-Flight iMessaging for $2 Per Day

#7

Perhaps I am missing something as I have not been following the issue very closely. Didn't the FAA recently announce that use of mobile devices during flight, or gate-to-gate, is now allowed? What is the incentive to pay $2 to send iMessages vs. simply turning on your data connection & sending iMessage as you would regularly? Is the issue that Southwest Airlines has not opted into the new FAA regulations? Is cellular…

It's not poor, it just doesn't work. The recent talk about allowing in-flight cell phone use was in relation to the airlines installing an in-plane microcell of some sort for your phone to connect though.

Re: Southwest Airlines Offering In-Flight iMessaging for $2 Per Day

#10

I wonder how hard it is to pretend to be an iOS device and use iMessage as a tunnel. Probably not worth it at all.

Emulating iMessage is an awful job that only a select few seem to have managed. The protocol is confused and complicated, the binaries are heavily obfuscated, and Apple's servers ban quickly and with little warning. Even those that have succeeded don't seem to have emulated it correctly.
Post reply on HN