st3

I agree that the technology isn't there, which really does make it a hollow promise. It is like an "all you can eat buffet" with 2 pizzas and 50 customers. Maybe it is all you can eat, but there simply isn't enough to go around with quality that is more Cici's than Lombardi's.

LAX_AUS_DL_FLYER

IIRC, Delta has two antennas in the front and back on the reconfigured 757. With UA it's hard to tell what the big ones on the back of the Fuselage are actually used for (I'm assuming Wi-Fi) but do they also host the streaming entertainment components from the server to the ground?

n8-the-gr8

Definitely at least Wi-Fi as they were one indicator I used back when United was installing across the fleet whether my aircraft had wifi (before they were good about notifying you). I believe they host all streaming content locally on the plane - that's why you're not guaranteed the same up-to-date movie/TV content depending on what plane you're on. It depends if they loaded the current month's rotation on a given aircraft. There's no way they would be streaming all of that content from the ground.

NJDevils26

I was on a Southwest flight two weeks ago and was able to use their app to stream a live NFL game with no issues for FREE. The resolution was fantastic. I found myself wondering how they were able to offer this to all passengers for free if United won’t even allow streaming if you pay for WiFi.

VegasGambler

I streamed on ViaSat a fair bit back when VX added it, before they got bought by AS. It was essentially free for people with Gold status. So, not free for the whole plane.

Anyway, the whole point of these high-bandwidth satellite connections is that they allow people to stream video. That's how they market it. You pay a big latency penalty for this satellite connection. If you are not going to allow streaming, you are better off staying away from satellite and sticking with ground-based systems.

worldwidedreamer

I've moved much of my domestic flights to Southwest because their wifi tends to be fast and in every aircraft. Now if they'd figure out how to add power outlets for the longer flights?

LAX_AUS_DL_FLYER

Yeah you're right. I was thinking because they're so big they would be doing something other than hosting the Wi-Fi system. And then you have the DTV "dome" shaped antennas as well on a lot of the 737 fleet. IDK what antenna broadcasts the Wi-Fi on those planes (unless the Wi-Fi signal is also hosted from the DTV antennas?)

You see how big those antennas are on the Airbus fleet in person and you'd figure UA would have rock solid Wi-Fi. Those things must weigh a ton.

IIRC, I thought UA was looking to do free remote DTV streaming via BYOD on aircraft without the hard wired screens in place?

UA's "Private Streaming" is definitely free and is controlled the the app itself. I know on DL you have to connect to the GoGo Wi-Fi Network to use Delta Studio, but you don't have to pay for internet to watch content.

fezzington

Even if unintentional, most of our phones use a ton of bandwidth on WiFi. Automatic connections, then App Updates, push notifications, email downloading, etc. I'm not sure most of UA's fleet could handle it (except for possibly the 737MAX... if/when those get airborne again)

I seem to remember the same thing... and if the MAX WiFi testing/my own experience flying it has any bearing on what's possible for the NG fleet... things are looking good.

iMessage, WhatsApp, and Hangouts used to work for free on United_WiFi. Haven't been in the air in some time though, and I've heard it's sporadic now.

I had similar experiences on UA's 737MAX (also ViaSat, iirc). I streamed a 720p YT video with little to no buffering.

LAX_AUS_DL_FLYER

Is that video conferencing or just SMS / Messaging with WhatsApp and Hangouts working on UA? I've noticed on DL they actually make consistent announcements that video / conference call bridging is prohibited at all times in flight. With Hangouts you can do video chatting as well, but something like using my Free Conference Call account I doubt would work inflight (although I'm tempted to try it, just to try it.) It's likely along the same lines as how electronic devices needed to be shut off for take off and landing for potential cockpit radio interference reasons up until like 5 years ago.

STS-134

I've tried multiple video calling and VoIP services from onboard before, and none of them work. The latency is so high, it won't even connect, but even if it did, you'd quickly get annoyed because you'd say something and the response from the other person would be delayed by 2+ seconds.

LAX_AUS_DL_FLYER

Haha, that's like the same VoIP bandwidth in my apartment complex in Austin. There's always a delay, and GTM and Skype are completely inoperable on my MacBook Pro to boot.

AeRoSpaceman

I think the announcements on the DL flights are more about not having any kind of voip/video conversation on the plane to not bother other passengers as it is possible and I unfortunately did try it once and was quickly reprimanded. Was only trying to test if the connection was possible (which it was) and immediately hung up. Got caught red handed. If I remember correctly it was a Google Hangouts voice call. Kids, please do not try this on the plane..

worldwidedreamer

It is my understanding that a legacy of the merger is that there are different inflight wifi and entertainment systems. As a result some have free DTV, some have free BYOD, some have wifi, some don't.

For what it's worth my best inflight wifi experience ever was on a UA 747 SFO-NRT a couple years back.

At a FlyerTalk DO, maybe in 2007?, Continental said they would do DTV versus inflight wifi initially. At the time I thought this was an unfortunate decision, but seeing how inflight wifi bandwidth remains constrained I think they made the right choice then. Thirteen years later inflight wifi remains a couple years from being amazing.

LAX_AUS_DL_FLYER

I believe that UA 747 story. Smisek came out and said the IFE on the 744s were embarrassing so they were among the first to get streaming video servers, satellite Wi-Fi as well as power ports in Y.

Pre Merger IIRC the vast majority of UA or fleet had Wi-Fi (P.S. did have Gogo though.) UA was set on having overhead programming on all of their fleet and CO was held hostage by DirecTV for expensive programming (of which CO ripped out overhead IFE as result and DTV kept all the profit.)

LarryJ

I think it might help to clarify terms.

WiFi is the protocol by which your device connects to the airplane's network. This allows the PDE streaming service and works regardless of the status of internet service.

The Internet service is provided via a satellite connection on mainline flights and an air-to-ground radio (I think it's VHF) connection on Express aircraft. The limitation on the air/ground link is that it is only available when the aircraft is at altitude and while over land. The satellite systems can provide Internet from gate-to-gate as well as over oceans.

Many people, including me, often say "WiFi" when we mean "Internet". I try to be very specific when discussing the systems and particularly when writing up a problem with the system. i.e. "Internet is intermittent. WiFi and PDE is working." or "WiFi connection between devices and airplane can not be established"

Anyway, a few comments from the previous messages...

No airborne internet service provides service over the entire globe. The satellite system used on the widebodies provides coverage over most areas that those aircraft fly. The system on the 737 has the potential to provide faster connections that the system used on the widebodies but has a much more limited service area leaving flights to Hawaii, the Caribbean, Mexico, etc. without service.

The PDE streaming system is completely self contained within the airplane. For it to work, you need both the WiFi and PDE server to be working. Internet is not required. Internet service requires both WiFi and the Internet satellite connection to be working.

I met Oscar in Seattle two summers ago and the CFO, who rode on my airplane, some months later. Both stressed the importance of the Internet service to our customers and that it was a high priority at the Board level. There have been many improvements since then (hardware and software) but there's still a long way to go.