UA needs to copy DL immediately on WiFi
#31
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UA's Wi-Fi has to be better than Delta's I'm assuming? They likely have to considering how much of their fleet is now BYOD which integrates with the Wi-Fi system(s) on some level.
A few years ago when Smisek was around, they made a switch over to Panasonic Satellite Wi-Fi which IIRC, was a disaster at least overwater. I think they ditched it since, or are they still on that service?
#33
Join Date: Aug 2002
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Hard to believe that we're sitting here slamming United for slow WiFi. It was only a few years ago that we had NO WiFi.
It still amazes me that I'm routinely hurtling through the sky, 7 miles above the ground, at over 600mph, with a constant connection to any other network resource on planet Earth. The fact that it works AT ALL still amazes me.... And that's from a guy who's made a career designing and implementing some of the biggest IT and network infrastructure in the world.
It still amazes me that I'm routinely hurtling through the sky, 7 miles above the ground, at over 600mph, with a constant connection to any other network resource on planet Earth. The fact that it works AT ALL still amazes me.... And that's from a guy who's made a career designing and implementing some of the biggest IT and network infrastructure in the world.
#34
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Personally, I cringe on having to pay Gogo for their awful services on DL (which always tend to time out randomly) and their package prices are all over the place for any flight. It's not cheap and not ethical if you ask me.
#35
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Your emphatic "everyone" is way off the mark. I don't want internet in-air. If I'm traveling for work I don't want my employer to expect me to work during the flight. If I'm traveling for personal trips I have no issues disconnecting for a few hours.
I'm a DL flier and I'm afraid that they will charge a premium on their routes that include this.
I'd much rather see them bring back free checked bags in economy for main cabin (not basic). Southwest boards a plane way faster and part of it is b/c passengers who want to check bags can.
I'm a DL flier and I'm afraid that they will charge a premium on their routes that include this.
I'd much rather see them bring back free checked bags in economy for main cabin (not basic). Southwest boards a plane way faster and part of it is b/c passengers who want to check bags can.
#36
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As for the argument of I “rarely use it”, I’m old enough to remember people saying “I don’t see the point of having them” about mobile phones when they first came out. Being able to connect 24/7 is the future. While you may opt not to use it at times, that doesn’t mean others shouldn’t be able to at those same times.
I don’t use the thin blue blankets - why should I subsidize them for others?
I don’t use WiFi at Starbucks or chipotle, so I guess I subsidize others. It is what it is. There is a plethora of free WiFi that you already subsidize.
#37
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Just because you make WiFi free doesn't mean you have to let everyone consume all of the bandwidth they can. Give people 50 MB for free and then make them pay per MB beyond that. As it stands now, I've watched Youtube videos from flights before, but only because they provide absolutely no incentive for me not to do so once I purchase the wifi.
#38
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Join Date: Oct 2014
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Just because you make WiFi free doesn't mean you have to let everyone consume all of the bandwidth they can. Give people 50 MB for free and then make them pay per MB beyond that. As it stands now, I've watched Youtube videos from flights before, but only because they provide absolutely no incentive for me not to do so once I purchase the wifi.
#39
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#41
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That's a lot of streamers though. 1/4 of the plane?? Most people are just texting, on instagram, or playing stupid phone games.
#42
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Just because you make WiFi free doesn't mean you have to let everyone consume all of the bandwidth they can. Give people 50 MB for free and then make them pay per MB beyond that. As it stands now, I've watched Youtube videos from flights before, but only because they provide absolutely no incentive for me not to do so once I purchase the wifi.
30 seconds later, I had to buy another 50MB.
I'd be very worried with the marketing. "I haven't used 50MB!!! I just connected 3 minutes ago and I've only opened Facebook!"
I have no trouble streaming Netflix on most high-speed in-flight wifi. It buffers.
Connecting to VPN is something I've had such luck with that I can never commit to doing "real work" on a flight.
Low latency and stability are important for some tasks. Other tasks, like streaming video, just need the occasional burst of high speed.
#43
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 7,875
I have no trouble streaming Netflix on most high-speed in-flight wifi. It buffers.
Connecting to VPN is something I've had such luck with that I can never commit to doing "real work" on a flight.
Low latency and stability are important for some tasks. Other tasks, like streaming video, just need the occasional burst of high speed.
Connecting to VPN is something I've had such luck with that I can never commit to doing "real work" on a flight.
Low latency and stability are important for some tasks. Other tasks, like streaming video, just need the occasional burst of high speed.
For most people "good" is the same as "fast". In terms of latency, I doubt you really need low latency because you aren't playing games. And I doubt anybody can play a game well on any plane's connection, as latency is inherently high on a plane's connections, given it is satellite based.
#44
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If packets are constantly dropping I'm not sure I would call the connection "good". If the connection is so fast you can only stream gifs, I also wouldn't call it "good".
For most people "good" is the same as "fast". In terms of latency, I doubt you really need low latency because you aren't playing games. And I doubt anybody can play a game well on any plane's connection, as latency is inherently high on a plane's connections, given it is satellite based.
For most people "good" is the same as "fast". In terms of latency, I doubt you really need low latency because you aren't playing games. And I doubt anybody can play a game well on any plane's connection, as latency is inherently high on a plane's connections, given it is satellite based.
Call it what you want, but it's "good" and "fast" to the person watching TV, and "bad" to the person trying to manage a server.
#45
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 7,875
That's because Netflix buffers. Your server connection expects a response. It doesn't just give you a test and ask you to turn it in when you are done. It asks you a question, and you don't get the second question until it is satisfied with your answer for the first. And you aren't responding in a timely fashion.