U.S. Finally To Get In-Flight BroadbandOr at least tests -- beginning in 2008 ( old news - 06:18PM Wednesday Aug 01 2007) tags: business · alternatives U.S. in-flight broadband has been a no-show, thanks largely to the high cost of retrofitting planes, and the low quality of most airlines' finances. American airlines and Aircell have announced they'll be the first to offer in-flight broadband in the United States, and they'll begin testing service early next year: Passenger testing will be conducted on American Airlines fleet of Boeing 767-200 aircraft that primarily fly transcontinental routes. As the first to launch in-flight broadband capabilities, American and AirCell are pioneering the last frontier of domestic Internet service. Aircell insists the service, originally slated for a 2007 launch, is significantly lighter than Boeing's failed Connexion service. They also say that at $100,000 per plane (including wiring, core hardware and three antennas), it's less expensive to deploy. All the truly interesting questions have yet to be answered with anything other than vague promises, including product pricing, planned speeds and whether users will be allowed to use in-flight VoIP service.
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TK Junk Mail
Go ahead, make my day
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join:2002-03-03
Margate City, NJ
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| Re: Cost? VoIP? said by Jeffrey  :No mention of cost yet, but I'm sure people would pay for it. Thinking about my last 5 hr flight to San Francisco and back in May, I might pay for a broadband service if it was at the right price-point. I hope the latency is just bad enough so that a VoIP phone call won't be too clear. I don't think I could take 150-200 people chatting away for 5 hours. Cost: Aircell claims it will be in the price range of a typical non-free Wifi hotspot on the ground.
Voice: they so no because they want a quiet cabin.
Speed: they are using ground based EVDO antennas and the shared speed for the whole cabin will be at EVDO speeds.
»www.aircell.com/index.php?option···8&L3=how
AirCell’s broadband service is based on an established telecommunications technology called CDMA EVDO, a high-speed system already in use by a number of ground-based wireless carriers.
In the future, AirCell may offer cellular services that will enable passengers to SMS, MMS, email, and browse the Internet using a standard cell phone. While voice service is technically possible, AirCell believes in keeping a quiet, peaceful atmosphere in the cabin and will not offer it as a service. »www.aircell.com/index.php?option···emid=318
Pricing will mirror what you would pay at any ground based Wi-Fi hotspot Q&A: »www.aircell.com/index.php?option···&L3=faqs
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| Re: Cost? VoIP? said by TK Junk Mail :said by Jeffrey :No mention of cost yet, but I'm sure people would pay for it. Thinking about my last 5 hr flight to San Francisco and back in May, I might pay for a broadband service if it was at the right price-point. I hope the latency is just bad enough so that a VoIP phone call won't be too clear. I don't think I could take 150-200 people chatting away for 5 hours. Cost: Aircell claims it will be in the price range of a typical non-free Wifi hotspot on the ground. Voice: they so no because they want a quiet cabin. Speed: they are using ground based EVDO antennas and the shared speed for the whole cabin will be at EVDO speeds. » www.aircell.com/index.php?option···8&L3=howAirCell’s broadband service is based on an established telecommunications technology called CDMA EVDO, a high-speed system already in use by a number of ground-based wireless carriers.
In the future, AirCell may offer cellular services that will enable passengers to SMS, MMS, email, and browse the Internet using a standard cell phone. While voice service is technically possible, AirCell believes in keeping a quiet, peaceful atmosphere in the cabin and will not offer it as a service. » www.aircell.com/index.php?option···emid=318Pricing will mirror what you would pay at any ground based Wi-Fi hotspot Q&A: » www.aircell.com/index.php?option···&L3=faqs great, just great; so I was right.
in order to get the best EVDO coverage, they'll have to go with all 3 of the major EVDO carriers...though, I'd imagine, if they only pick one, it'll be Sprint.
Dandy, just dandy; exactly what people who's only broadband choice is EVDO needs....less bandwidth and higher latency.
I might also add that the most one tower can handle is 1288k in rural areas and 2576k in cities; if you get 2 or more users pulling off of one tower, it'll make it heck for everyone pulling from that tower.
another problem; the smarter or semi-techie passengers will just use Skype/MSN/Vonage/Etc. to make voice calls; EVDO Rev. A has low enough latency to support VoIP. (of course, if you have 2+ people on, forget it).
*sigh* I detest...just absolutely detest this idea. | |
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TK Junk Mail
Go ahead, make my day
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Margate City, NJ
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edit:
August 1st, @07:07PM
| Re: Cost? VoIP? They are using EVDO technology, but from looking at the Aircell web site, IT APPEARS like they have their own towers and assigned private frequencies from the FCC. So they won't be sharing service with Sprint, Verizon, etc. Also the shared bandwidth for the plane should be higher than the typical EVDO bandwidth available to a Sprint or Verizon cellphone user. But it will still be shared bandwidth for however many people use the service at one time on the plane, and however many planes may be leeching off 1 tower at the same time.
Since you are going thru the aircell gateway, I suspect they will be able to block any protocols they don't want being used. So using VOIP may be very difficult if they really want to block it.
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Fox McCloud
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| Re: Cost? VoIP? said by TK Junk Mail :They are using EVDO technology, but from looking at the Aircell web site, IT APPEARS like they have their own towers and assigned private frequencies from the FCC. So they won't be sharing service with Sprint, Verizon, etc. Also the shared bandwidth for the plane should be higher than the typical EVDO bandwidth available to a Sprint or Verizon cellphone user. But it will still be shared bandwidth for however many people use the service at one time on the plane, and however many planes may be leeching off 1 tower at the same time. Since you are going thru the aircell gateway, I suspect they will be able to block any protocols they don't want being used. So using VOIP may be very diificult if they really want to block it. Let's just hope that it stays that way; for them to operate off of any cellular carrier's network could spell disaster for its users. (whether it be data-card or cellphone users). | |
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John Galt
Am I Coming or Going?
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Oceanside, OR
| said by Fox McCloud :another problem; the smarter or semi-techie passengers will just use Skype/MSN/Vonage/Etc. *sigh* I detest...just absolutely detest this idea. If I hear ONE yammering F*cker on the flight, I am going to choke them with the cord from the free headphones the airlines hand out.
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Fox McCloud
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| Re: Cost? VoIP? said by John Galt :said by Fox McCloud :another problem; the smarter or semi-techie passengers will just use Skype/MSN/Vonage/Etc. *sigh* I detest...just absolutely detest this idea. If I hear ONE yammering F*cker on the flight, I am going to choke them with the cord from the free headphones the airlines hand out. I don't fly, at all (I've flown before, but I don't consider myself a flyer), but still, I'd feel the same way; it's bad enough when you're in a restaurant and someone's talking really loudly to their friend/spouse/the wall...cellphones+restaurants/small areas are even worse.
On a plain? Ughhh, it'd be half tempting just to say (very nicely, so they don't suspect anything) "hey, can I saw a few words?" then say "I"m sorry, but XXXXX can't make it to the phone from here on out; he has a very angry passenger sitting right next to him who may dispatch of him if he calls again".
ok, not really, as that'd probably land your butt in jail today *sigh*, but still, that's, no doubt, what you feel like doing. | |
| | | | | | stufried
Premium
join:2003-10-13 | Re: Cost? VoIP? Go ahead. If the airline provides the headset, the quality of wire is so cheesy that it will break instantly. | |
| | | | | | | | amungus
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America
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| Interesting. How do they plan to reach terrestrial towers while they're over the Atlantic??? The article says that the initial planes will be "transcontinental" ones so.......
The pic also indicates that the box would be connected to a sat. dish...
Cool stuff either way.
Latency should be pretty decent if it's going straight to land based towers, but if they jump to a sat. beam, that latency would instantly be much higher. | |
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TK Junk Mail
Go ahead, make my day
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| Re: Cost? VoIP? said by amungus :Interesting. How do they plan to reach terrestrial towers while they're over the Atlantic??? The article says that the initial planes will be "transcontinental" ones so....... The pic also indicates that the box would be connected to a sat. dish... Over the Atlantic would be trans-Atlantic or trans-oceanic. Transcontinental just means over the North American land mass - no oceans.
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| | Joe12345678
join:2003-07-22
Des Plaines, IL
edit:
August 1st, @08:59PM
| Cost $5+ $0.0125 per k or $40 for 24/H max data 200-300 MB $0.0050 per k over. | |
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snolsen
join:2004-01-10
Hanford, CA | I flew Lufthansa back in 2005 from Frankfurt to Denver, free internet all the way. | |
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CyBrChRsT
join:2003-02-28
Kansas City, MO
| lmao, well as far as SKYPE is concerned they can block whatever ports they want. SKYPE is unblockable, it will find a port one way or another, why do you think one of the board of directors for SKYPE is from CISCO? Just another wonderful technology for them to acquire once it hits big! And as far as annoying fuckheads go you could do what some guy did here to his well what is now ex-gf goes, he got so sick of her yammering away on the cell he shoved her phone down her throat! lol but of course that involves doing time once you hit the ground!  | |
| | expert007
join:2006-01-10
Buffalo, NY
| Privacy In Coach IMHO, Its going to be difficult to get people to use the connection for anything more than a quick email check. How are you going to feel when your nosy seatmate peering at proprietary company memos, your banking info? "Hey, turn your head the other way while I check out my fav porn site"..... | |
| | fiberguy
My views are my own.
Premium
join:2005-05-20
| Re: Privacy In Coach 3M Makes a product that keeps prying eyes off of your screen unless you are looking dead on.
As for coach? not a problem for me. I believe in traveling in comfort and away from the common folk. (They tend to bitch and complain too much and it's very un-attractive)so I stick to those first 3 rows of seats.. with the curtain closed.. with no nosy seat mates.. 
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| | | hack4fun
pchelpers . lefora . com
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join:2006-08-28
Taylors, SC
| Re: Privacy In Coach said by fiberguy :3M Makes a product that keeps prying eyes off of your screen unless you are looking dead on. As for coach? not a problem for me. I believe in traveling in comfort and away from the common folk. (They tend to bitch and complain too much and it's very un-attractive)so I stick to those first 3 rows of seats.. with the curtain closed.. with no nosy seat mates.. Who would want to look at you finger f@#king your computer? They are probably looking at something else and it's not your computer, ROFL. Far as common folks go, they are the ones that are not stupid enough to spend more money to feel like they need their ego raised to make up for something else you don't have! | |
| | | | fiberguy
My views are my own.
Premium
join:2005-05-20 | Re: Privacy In Coach How insightful... spending money is stupid.. Cool! Ego? try again. | |
| | | | | hack4fun
pchelpers . lefora . com
Premium
join:2006-08-28
Taylors, SC
|  Re: Privacy In Coach
said by fiberguy :How insightful... spending money is stupid.. Cool! Ego? try again. Okay...Your right thanks for flying first class we don't want to see what happens after you get out the hand cream!  | |
| | | | | hack4fun
pchelpers . lefora . com
Premium
join:2006-08-28
Taylors, SC
| Re: Privacy In Coach said by dadkins :said by expert007 :IMHO, Its going to be difficult to get people to use the connection for anything more than a quick email check. How are you going to feel when your nosy seatmate peering at proprietary company memos, your banking info? "Hey, turn your head the other way while I check out my fav porn site"..... Just as when/if at a public WiFi Hotspot... banking or "proprietary company memos" isn't really a great idea. Youtube/VUZE/whatever generic surfing we are doing ATM would be fine! Like I would mind if someone sees me posting an update to avast in the Security Forum here... These laptops I have, have that great 120 degree viewing angle(one of the selling points was/were the screen(s)). Reading The Onion to kill time would be ok I would imagine. Ya know, laptops *CAN* be used for fun too, right? I'd probably have a ripped Blu-ray disc to watch...  "They" can watch it if they want, but since I would probably be using headphones... they would'nt have any sound.  Yeah why cover up that porn...O that's right the 3M shield covers up his dribble, HA | |
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dadkins
Land of Confusion
Premium,MVM
join:2003-09-26
Hercules, CA
·Comcast
| Re: Privacy In Coach Naw, HD pr0n aint all it's "cracked" up to be anyways...
Razor stubble and pimples glaring at you kinda kills the show.
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FiL
Premium
join:2005-08-16
Silver Spring, MD | Re: Privacy In Coach ^lmao! | |
| | AquaBlaze
Premium
join:2004-02-02
Encino, CA
| said by expert007 :"Hey, turn your head the other way while I check out my fav porn site"..... That's why it's best to fly with similar-minded company.
Or hell, view your smut anyways. Nobody's making them stare at your laptop real estate. If they don't want to see it, they don't look at it. Pretty simple. | |
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CyBrChRsT
join:2003-02-28
Kansas City, MO | LMAO, fiberguy = idiot.
Picture this. Him + closed curtain + finger of one hand on laptop + other finger of other hand up ass! ACK!!!
Fiberbuy now = Finger up ass guy with big head! | |
| 
MrMoody
Beleaguered Middle Class
join:2002-09-03
Smithfield, NC | Power Are they providing power too? On the one hand, it sucks being limited by battery power, but on the other hand 100 laptops adds up to quite a load ... | |
| 
wee96
Your Local Confederate
join:2000-04-12
Clinton Township, MI | Heres to hoping I certainly would enjoy it on my trips to Europe, but I just have that feeling it will be way too expensive for the average person to afford and that has always annoyed me about this country. | |
| | | hack4fun
pchelpers . lefora . com
Premium
join:2006-08-28
Taylors, SC |  Re: I got to peek inside the box
said by laserjobs :I got to peek inside the box Ha Ha Ha | |
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jgkolt
Premium
join:2004-02-21
Lakewood, OH
clubs: | nice | |
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meh123
join:2005-09-22
U.S.
| said by laserjobs :I got to peek inside the box One could only hope that they have peering rights with FON.... that'd be great for us Linus' out there... | |
| RayW
Premium
join:2001-09-01
Layton, UT
clubs:
 ·XMission
| Do not think so Too expensive for my taste (unless I get it on expense account, which they appear to be set up for), probably too slow to be useful if several folks are on. I like how all the Aircell pictures show ONE person in FIRST Class, and the text gives generalities like "broad band" "24X7X265 support desk" but no numbers.
I think I will stick with a Mark I Mod ancient book or maybe talk to my neighbors, and wait until I get to the hotel to do any net surfing.
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| | | ricep5
Premium
join:2000-08-07
Jacksonville, FL
·Comcast Formerly ..
 ·AT&T CallVantage
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| Re: Prices Those are prices using the Iridium sat network.
This implementation is using terrestrial frequencies.
"This patented airborne technology uses the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) air-to-ground communications frequencies to which AirCell has exclusive rights."
CDMA/EVDO is not exclusive to cell based frequencies owned by Sprint/Alltel/Verizon. They may have implemented the technology for frequencies allocated by the FCC for the old analog Airphone service. (formerly GTE, then Verizon). The infrastructure for Airphone still exists and it may simply being updated for digital service to support this application.
Backhaul depends on which carrier the recv'ng tower resides.
Latency will be driven by how well the new digital network can switch an IP group from tower to tower at 35k feet moving 500mph.
I would only be worried about performance when (2) widebodies (ie: 777, A340) come within a few miles of each other. If 30-50 people are active and logged in on each plane, the switch would have to either take on both trunks to both planes or attempt to switch one of them to a more distant tower to accomodate. Either way, someone will lose. | |
| | 
computerman0
join:2006-07-19
Houston, TX | Internet yes cell phone no I smell a large pile of crap. So whats this i can get internet in the plane I but not use my cell phone which will soon have unlimited data plan. | |
| 
Tzale
Ron Paul - No Bailout Conservative
Premium
join:2004-01-06
NJ, USA | Big F'ing Deal I still don't understand what is so bad about spending 5 hours on an airplane.... Do you really need broadband? Learn to kick back and relax. Business traveler? Get ready to be raped again by your employer..
-Tzale | |
| | bmn
? ? ?
Premium,ExMod 2003-06
join:2001-03-15
hiatus
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| Re: Big F'ing Deal said by Tzale :I still don't understand what is so bad about spending 5 hours on an airplane.... Do you really need broadband? Yeah, because for that 5 hours, I could be billing clients while I'm sitting on my ass otherwise doing nothing...
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| MichaelWacey
Premium
join:2005-01-30
Berwyn, PA
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| Cost, Voice, and Notes I would only use this if carriers that I frequent have it and there is a power outlet. The airlines need to come up with a common power outlet. Also, my employer would have to agree to pay for it - not likely.
As for voice, the airlines should consider creating a no phone section. Just like they used to have a no smoking section. The few times someone used one of those old seat back phones, it never bothered me. The plane noise was so much louder. Maybe the airlines could rent noise canceling headphones to make some more revenue.
AirCell already offers phone service to the General Aviation community. They use special antennas on normal cell towers. The two systems do not interact. The FCC will never allow the current terrestrial cell system to be used from the air. That is why AirCell created a new system.
All in all, I look forward to this. But, I do not expect to see it widely deployed for several years, if ever. | |
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Cost? VoIP?
I hope...
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