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

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

#11

Post by gojomo »

Zombieball wrote: post #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…

Recent announcement allowed electronic devices but not yet phone functions that communicate with cellular base towers.

On recent flights with both United and Southwest, crews have emphasized devices must be in 'airplane mode' even if wifi is enabled later (for the inflight wifi service).

Cellular access is still controversial:

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/12/01/disruptions-calling...

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

#12

Post by jacalata »

nwh wrote: post #10
MichaelGG wrote: post #8

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.

Yea, but that's if you want to emulate iMessage to the Apple servers in order to send actual iMessages. I think the OP was asking about emulating it to the airplane firewall in order to tunnel through, which could be a lot easier and more useful.

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

#15

Post by evan_ »

jacalata wrote: post #12
nwh wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

Yea, but that's if you want to emulate iMessage to the Apple servers in order to send actual iMessages. I think the OP was asking about emulating it to the airplane firewall in order to tunnel through, which could be a lot easier and more useful.

It's unlikely that they're inspecting the packets at a level deep enough to tell what they actually are. More likely that they're just letting you access certain servers for $2.

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

#18

Post by RKearney »

jimktrains2 wrote: post #13
zinssmeister wrote: post #4

We can argue about the price point, but charging a la carte is a great idea.

Missing an /s tag? Perhaps they, or your home ISP should charge access to hacker news?

They're not "charging" you to use different services. They're taking their $8/day WiFi access charge, and reducing it by 75% if all you need it for is to send iMessages.

What you just said makes it seem like you think Southwest is charging people $2 on top of their $8 fee to use WiFi, which they are most certainly not doing.

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

#19

Post by the_watcher »

Zombieball wrote: post #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…

You would have to connect to WiFi, which is $8 (honestly worth it if you would use internet at all on flights over 2 hours).
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