RockinRon

You can find the map here: https://www.united.com/web/en-US/con...i/default.aspx

It's sort of hard to see but when you are very close to the poles the coverage drops for a few hours (depending on actual flight path).

bocastephen

Thank you...it appears we don't lose coverage over China, but they turn the system off?? Why in the world would a US carrier do that on a flight not landing in, or departing from that country? Or the map just shows that for in/ex China flights?

bmwe92fan

I believe it is due to the fact that you are in Chinese airpsace and the airlines need to abide by Chinese rules, regulations and laws - or they won't be allowed to fly in that airspace. China to this day still controls and censors the internet - and regardless of our opinion of that it is what it is. An airplane unfortunately is not a flying embassy...

Wooglin

Just did today, though just over contiguous US. TeamViewer connection was "fine". Stayed connected the whole time but mouse clicks and keystrokes were more delayed than with on-ground internet. File Transfer was also slow, but within reason.

STS-134

I believe Panasonic Avionics does have a deal with China in which it will provide service in Chinese airspace through a Chinese gateway, but that gateway is not active yet. MU is supposed to launch WiFi later this year using that system.

It would really be amusing if someone built a plane that could go above the Kármán Line, and used such a capability to pass over China while maintaining internet connectivity on board, just to make a point about how stupid this is. Richard Branson seems crazy enough to do something like that as a publicity stunt.

sbm12

The system must be disabled over Chinese air space because Panasonic and UA do not have a license to operate it there. Licensing of radio spectrum is a fascinatingly complex thing and rarely does it behave logically.


There is already service on MU via Panasonic; it is the only carrier flying with the necessary licenses to operate in Chinese airspace today though GEE (the company providing wifi to WN, DY and a couple others) has just acquired the licenses and will trial with CA later this year.

Even with those licenses in place it is unlikely that non-Chinese airlines will be operating connections in Chinese airspace in the near future. Switching over en route is possible but the user experience would suck. Plus China would have to approve the connectivity on those planes.

bocastephen

This doesn't make sense if the system is satellite based and not using any antennas or radio systems on the ground, or any local telecom infrastructure.

sbm12

You are free to believe such. But the ITU and most sovereign governments will disagree with you. China gets to regulate the use of radio spectrum in its airspace, just like the USA and every other country does.

tovo

Thank you so much. Were you just traveling in the US or did you mean that it only worked when you were over US airspace?

STS-134

On the other hand, it is kind of a {lousy} move by the Chinese government to deny access to the spectrum in its airspace. Just look at the map: no other country does this.

The solution to this is for other countries (like the US) to reciprocate and deny Chinese airlines the ability to use satellites for WiFi while in their airspaces. So pax on MU or CA bound for LAX, IAH, EWR, JFK, or IAD? Yeah, sorry, no wifi for them, until UA can offer wifi in China. {redacted}

As you said, sovereign governments get to decide who uses what spectrum in their airspace. They don't have to give a reason for it, they can simply deny its use. And the reason for denying MU and CA WiFi access in US airspace can really be as simple as "we don't like what you're doing to our airlines when they go through your airspace, so your airlines are likewise denied until you be more reasonable."

sbm12

Chile is shown as such on the map. And, despite not being shown as such, I know there are strict rules in India limiting connectivity on airplanes. Last I checked in-flight connectivity is not an option there.

As for a reciprocal ban to force China's hand, good luck with that. Just doesn't add up with reality in terms of how things work in the real world. The Chinese government is happy to have internet access limited as much as is feasible for its citizens.

RockinRon

This - and most certainly doesn't care about the inconvenience of passengers flying through its airspace. Chalk it up to "It is what it is" IMHO.

Wooglin

Yes, I was traveling domestic US.

bmwe92fan

Over the last two weeks I've been on 12 UA domestic flights and I always buy the wifi.

I noticed a change this week with wifi on my flights to / from SFO. On both the outbound and inbound flights the wifi was working both above AND below 10k feet - in fact it never stopped working! I think this is GREAT if it is here to stay but didn't want to assume that this was a permanent change - Please note that I was on a 757, 73X, and A320 this week and ALL of them allowed me to use wifi above and below 10k feet so I don't think it is specific to plane type...

A change we will like? Or just someone forgetting to switch it off?

LarryJ

The wifi should be available from pushback until arrival at the gate at the destination. This was a change that was made (on the 737 fleet, at least) last year.