Originally Posted by
WineCountryUA
Presently this depends on the aircraft. Some with ViaSat do offer streaming, others do not even with T-Mobile promo
Video streaming isn't very reliable and there is often lag when flying across the Pacific. Starlink will obviously change this.
Originally Posted by
drewguy
Or a premium tier. Lots of ways to do this. BTW - what does installation take? I'm assuming they need to install new hardware outside the fuselage, but also assuming they can repurpose much of the internals? Or is this well more than the equivalent of swapping out your cable modem when you change ISPs? (Yes, I know doing that on a plane is already "well more")
I'm guessing it'll just be a new dish. I find it hard to believe that UA will strip and rewire the entire plane for WiFi. Just rip out the ViaSat equipment and put in Starlink. I recall getting a strong WiFi signal throughout UA's widebody fleet. Of course, that doesn't mean I have a connection to the outside world! I'm just praying that UA will prioritize upgrading its B777 and B787 first!
Originally Posted by
ua2162
I recently flew HA and used it.
It's fast! True 4K streaming. No buffering, no lag, and no dead spots. Mind you, this was over the Pacfic.
It's a great product, even beats DL. For once, this is a true "enhancement."
That's awesome. Starlink will absolutely make flying UA 1/2 in economy bearable!
ContinentalFan
Too bad DL is all in on ViaSat. I think this will be a competitive advantage for UA. In 2024, I want fast and reliable WiFi from gate to gate!