
Boeing Gets FCC Approval For Broadband Service 154
lba writes "Boeing's plans to offer broadband on their planes (as in this earlier /. article) gets into the next phase... BBC News has a story about them now getting FCC approval for this project. Protoypes of Connexion, as the service is called, would be installed on Lufthansa planes in about a year. Three US Airline companies canceled their support for the project last November."
Live Streaming Ass-Kicking! (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Live Streaming Ass-Kicking! (Score:1)
Live airborne surveillance system (Score:1)
>>waltzes through airport security
>>and the passengers kick his ass,
>> we get live streaming video!
>> -Tackhead
Somebody mod that post up! LOL. Anyway, my contributing point: in addition to a sweet airborne broadband connection, you can enjoy constant onboard surveillance a-la Big Brother. I can't imagine trying to travelling commercial airlines these days AND working on flights. In addition to being terrified the entire time, you can be videoconferencing with the boss, or surfing for pr0n, or watch a DVD movie... The possibilities are endless.
I'm sure that Casino On Net or some other pop-up demon would run betting pools on flights. It can be run against expensive, highly inaccurate face recognition technology. We just don't have enough of that cultural/racial profiling these days.
The main benefit (Score:1, Funny)
Finally (Score:1)
I can't wait... Does anyone know if they'll impliment this on older craft?
Re:Finally (Score:4, Insightful)
However, I also have to say that I'd never expected the US airlines to back out. We Americans are the most wired country in the world, and certainly one of the most gadget-happy -- and our airlines turn their backs on this just when it's literally ready to fly?
Go figure. I have to wonder how much of a "free ride" Lufthansa is going to get now that those who the system may have been built for no longer care about it.
Re:Finally (Score:4, Informative)
I think that might be an over generalization. There is a great disparity between haves and have nots in this country such that it'd be hard to support that claim. Count the palm pilots in rural mississippi or louisiana. If there were a "most wired" or "most gadget-happy" nation, I'd have to give it to Singapore or Japan.
Re:Finally (Score:2)
(Way off-topic: I was surprised to find that IRC seems to work just fine with accented characters for the most part; the channel I frequent has a German user, and my copy of mIRC receives his umlauts just fine -- I didn't know it could do that. The MUCKs I use -- a type of MUD -- don't. Neat stuff.)
Now understanding what he's saying? Completely different matter entirely; I don't know much German ...
Re:Finally (Score:1, Informative)
I have no facts about "most gadget happy", but "most wired" does exist - currently (as of June 2001) the honor is a tie, and goes to Switzerland and Canada [multimediator.com] with 73%
The US was a close second (third?) with 72%.
Wha??? (Score:5, Funny)
Can you back that up with a reference?
A quick search tells me that Finland [www.stat.fi] is #1.
Or were you using the term "world" as in "world series" (which apparently means "USA - and maybe Canada occasionally if we're feeling particularly generous")?
Re:Wha??? (Score:1, Informative)
Re:Wha??? (OT) (Score:1)
Yes, I know that - and you know that, but how many other people (especially in the US) know that? Everyone I've talked to seems to believe it's because it decides the world's best baseball team.
To paraphrase John Cleese:
One of the things that makes the UK better than the US is that when we hold the world championship for a sport, we invite teams from other countries.
Re:Wha??? (Score:1)
There's a nice graph on that page with a bar that shows Finland ahead of the US in Internet connections. That doesn't really mean much, since this is how they figured it:
So basically it's saying there are more hosts onRe:Finally (Score:2)
have a sneaking suspicion that when it is implemented, it'll wind up in first class -- which most of us almost never get to use.
If they can make money off of the cattle-class customers by charging them for the service, they'll do it!Not just for first class snobs (Score:4, Informative)
1. laptop power outlets: Not just in first class but also in a wide selection of coach seats.
2. LCD screens: On new 767/777s most airlines have chosen to install the new LCDs on all seats, coach included.
3. Satellite TV: Jetblue doesn't have a first class section, so all seats have LCDs with satellite tv.
4. GTE Airfones: Although much maligned (with reason) these also debuted in coach as well as first.
Re:Finally (Score:1)
the airphone if a low cost solution is desired.
dial-up to a local 56k modem bank which dishes
you an IP address and forwards requests with masquerading. you have a special phone number which is intercepted via airphone system..
it's already a working technology, used by some other company that's in the same business..
Wrong investment (Score:1, Offtopic)
Wrong department (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Wrong department (Score:1)
But these are the planes the airlines buy. My point was that they should not buy this new stuff (because it has "the net") but to improve the existing fleet.
Re:Wrong investment (Score:2)
Why do their investments have to be 'either-or'?
I'd rather they invest in security, maintenance, AND improvements like this all at the same time.
Re:Wrong investment (Score:1)
see "cash-starved" adjective in the above statement.
Re:Wrong investment (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Wrong investment (Score:3, Funny)
You can bring your own food... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Wrong investment (Score:2)
Re:Wrong investment (Score:1)
Re:Wrong investment (Score:2)
Re:Wrong investment (Score:1)
While Boeing could probably devise features that facilitate better airplane security, getting airlines to be better about maintenance and food is an issue that is probably less in their control.
A humorous accident (Score:1, Offtopic)
In articles about airliners, you'd think that this specific type of compression artifact would be noticed earlier.....
Foreign flight requirements (Score:2, Interesting)
Broadband midflight may actually make voice-over-IP rather interesting competition to those $9.00/min AirPhone calls...
Re:Foreign flight requirements (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Foreign flight requirements (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Foreign flight requirements (Score:1)
Although commercial GPS receivers are limited by law to about 900 knots and 60,000 ft, you shouldn't reach this in most jetliners since this is about mach 1.3 @ 20,000 feet (the concorde can reach 1260 knots). However, some GPS manufacturers artificially limit their lower end receivers so that you must purchase their more expensive 'aviation' receivers to use above 90 knots.
Re:Foreign flight requirements (Score:1)
One Guess Why (Score:1)
canceled their support for the project last November."
Overreaction. As american as Mom, the Flag and Apple Pie. When will the government and business realize that if there's a weakness it's in not having a legacy of assasinating leaders and setting up banana republics, winning no matter the cost.
stability? (Score:1)
I think I can live without the internet for a few hours.
Boeing's areas of commerce (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Boeing's areas of commerce (Score:4, Funny)
What's next, lightning fast pizza delivery?
Always tip a pizza guy driving the Deliverator.
Wireless on an airplane? (Score:1)
Re:Wireless on an airplane? (Score:1)
Re:Wireless on an airplane? (Score:1)
This airborn broadband seems like an expensive gimmick. Last hotel I was in charged a fortune (per minute) for hookup... can't imagine what an airline will charge.
Finally, I've never been forced to listen to anyone sitting next to me on a plane. Skip a few showers before you board, if you must!
Re:Wireless on an airplane? (Score:2)
AirLine Costs ... (Score:3, Interesting)
Though it would be cool to join the "Downloaded and recompiled my kernel mile high" club ... Personally terrorism or not ... I can't stand to be in a plane more than an hour ... but this would be nice ...
I don't see this being in coach at all ... but it is nice to see that you can feel more comfortable when traveling ... to save on installation problems ... using 802.11 would be the best way to go ... and with everything popping up with 802.11 it's about time for notebook users to grab a card anyways ...
Not a chance (Score:2)
This will go over well ... (Score:5, Funny)
I can just see a bunch of headphone'd CS freaks on their laptops screaming at the top of their lungs, "OH YEAH, YOU WANT SOME?! FUCKING DIE! SUCK THE SNOT END OF MY FUCKSTICK YOU PUKE!!"
while the beverage cart rolls by ...
Cheers,
- RLJ
Re:This will go over well ... (Score:2, Funny)
*Cover me!*
BOOM!
*Need backup*
RAT-TAT-TAT
*The Bomb has been planted*
At this point I imagine their would be some sort of incident.. involving sedation. and belts.
Time to get rid of the voice/data recorders? (Score:1, Interesting)
In addition to being able to determine the cause of crashes more quickly, it might help ground personel know what is happening with airplanes long before they crash (perhaps helping pilots avoid crashes).
Re:Time to get rid of the voice/data recorders? (Score:3, Interesting)
He said that they were planning on testing this as a way to back up the voice/data recorders on the plane, but he wasn't sure if this was something that would end up in the final product or not. Limitations etc were still to be determined.
I offered to go to work for them on this very task but surprisingly enough I haven't heard back. ; )
In any case it's quite cool that their engineers were already planning on this pre-9/11.
Let the trademark suits begin! (Score:1)
How? (Score:3, Interesting)
And how?
Boeing is going to install internet connection on their airplanes, and Boeing is still in the business of
Retrofit (Score:2, Informative)
Boeing can retrofit the already sold planes with this new tech.. It's not limited to only new planes. This gives them work to do when the airlines stop ordering new planes.
Re:How? (Score:1)
Because... (Score:1)
New Twist... (Score:3, Funny)
New way to crash an airplaine (Score:4, Funny)
"This is your captain speaking. Would whoever is ping flooding the cockpit please stop? I'm trying to telnet to the altimeter and the packets are being dropped. I'm not sure, but I think we are about to hit Mount Rushmore."
Re:New way to crash an airplaine (Score:3, Funny)
Or X-Wing in that matter.
Re: (Score:2)
Convergence (Score:3, Interesting)
Now they can watch live streaming video, courtesy of cnn.com [cnn.com], of their plane crashing into a building after being hijacked by some sick bastard. Until that happens, it's a great way to pass the time in those cramped cabins.
By the way, I hope it's not connected at all to any of the plane's navigation/communication/control systems...
So much better than AirPhone (Score:2, Interesting)
The obvious thing would be to install airport or other 802.11 stuff (wasn't there an article sometime back about Virgin Atlantic loking to do something like that?) And I know that some airlines are already installing 110 outlets on the bulkheads and such.
LAN party at 30,000 ft!!!!
Another plane crash... (Score:1)
In-Flight Announcements Of The Future! (Score:5, Funny)
Stewardess- "Ladies and gentlemen, if you'll please look at the color code bar fastened against your seat backs, you can tell whether you have been seated in your requested section or not. Please recall that all seats with a gold border are regions 1-3, all seats with a silver border are region 4-6, and all seats with slate border are not allowed access. Remember, color denotes permissable access. Red bars denote pornography, blue bars denote warez, green bars denote live video feeds of you looking at the green bars, orange bars denote a block on port 6667, yellow bars denote smoking *and* pornography, and purple bars denote seats not yet installed with broadband access. Also, remember that the color beige does not actually signify anything; that is the color of seatbacks without digital panels. Please do not request assistance on manipulating your seatback. No matter how hard you push, it will not sprout a flat panel display. Thank you for observing all regulations."
What about trains? (Score:2)
Do you think that they are planning on installing a broadband access in trains too?
I seriously doubt that but since the recent events of downturn economy, uprising traffic and risks in flying have cropped up, train usage has rapidely become popular around here.
They could even use the tracks themselves to carry the signal. And typing on a laptop during an hour commute to the city would make more sense than sitting in a car stupidely behind the wheels.
Ah! I miss Japan.
PPA -- the girl next door.
Perhaps I am missing something. . . (Score:1)
Noone is doing so much downloading that they cannot put it on pause for a few hours.
Hardcore gamers wouldn't use this service either -- signals bouncing from sat to sat to plane rarely provide nice pings.
I might expect someone to say "What about those telecommuters that MUST check in and work while on plane?" -- since that bill would be footed by the boss I DOUBT they would make this mistake more than once. . . and they think airphones are expensive.
Could SOMEONE tell me what an average (or even slightly rare) traveler would need a sweet broadband connection while in the air? Perhaps the other companies pulled out because they couldnt answer this question themselves...
Re:Perhaps I am missing something. . . (Score:2)
because it would be just as expensive to put in a slower service?
Business traveller that spend many hours on a flight could get some work done?
Security Implications of GPS + Broadband? (Score:1)
Re:Security Implications of GPS + Broadband? (Score:1)
Re:Security Implications of GPS + Broadband? (Score:1)
Re:Security Implications of GPS + Broadband? (Score:1)
As for folks on the ground you can just listen to the ACARS frequencies and track all the aircraft around you (usually 100-200miles)
Re:Security Implications of GPS + Broadband? (Score:1)
Re:Security Implications of GPS + Broadband? (Score:3, Insightful)
If its on landing or take off, you can see your target.
hell, I guy at the end of an airport with a rifle can bring a plane down on take off.
And the point would be what? (Score:2)
I don't want to be pessimistic (Score:5, Informative)
I work in the industry, and in fact our product would probably benefit (as in, sold more) if Connexion was available.
I have to say though that it is at the moment mainly vapor. (their demo link uses a satellite dish the size of Washington). I've read a bunch of their documents, and it's surprising how much time they spent on describing silly details and being very vague about how to actually solve the real problems.
Their biggest problem though: they have a
Again, I would love to have a high speed connection to the plane, but there are many problems to overcome. On the less-technical side for example: tech support. Take an office with 300 people all connected to the internet. What kind of staff is needed to support that? Who's going to do that in the airplane? I can guarantee you that it's not going to be the flight attendants. Especially in the US where their union will scream bloody murder over just the slightest increase in workload.
Sorry to be so negative, but the combination of Boeings bureaucracy and a
Re:I don't want to be pessimistic (Score:3, Funny)
Re:I don't want to be pessimistic (Score:2, Interesting)
I know it's hard to believe now, but when you design a system like this you have to go for worst case,- when installed this has to work also 10 years from now.
I don't know that considering the physical space and number of users (say 500) 802.11 is the answer. I doubt it will work very well under these conditions though.
needs no admin except when it lands
The airlines will NEVER buy into that. The only thing that 'flies' is 'needs NO admin'. fullstop.
Believe me, this environment requires solutions that you don't come up with in 5 seconds.
Re:I don't want to be pessimistic (Score:1)
Of course no admin is needed for the landing
Re:I don't want to be pessimistic (Score:1)
Will, and How will access be controlled? (Score:1)
Re:Will, and How will access be controlled? (Score:1)
"Objectionable Material" on aircrafts does not seem to be a problem despite the fact that we can already bring as much as we want.
Let's count the number of ways we can already carry "objectionable material" onto a plane.. On your hard disk, on a CDROM/DVD, Magazine, Book, Poster, blow-up doll....
I think people would BYOP (bring your own porn) before they would pay for it through what will be grossly overpriced (see airphones for an example) net-access, anyway.
You alarmists who want to filter everything sicken me. Why don't you just title your post "oh, won't you pleeeese think of the children"...
@home ex-customers flock to the air (Score:2, Funny)
Technical details (Score:1)
Re:Technical details (Score:1)
The 'enabling technology' is a solid-state phased array antenna. This might be compact enough to mount on the belly of an aircraft and use the phasing to control the antenna azimuth because it's basically a 2-dimensional problem. However, with satellites, you have to control both azimuth and elevation and that doesn't have an easy solution by phasing the antenna elements. Once you turn it into a 3-D problem, the antenna has to have a wide open view above the airframe which means you will have to replace some of the aluminum aircraft skin with radome material. You can imagine the re-certification issues that would cause.
New SPAM Platform? (Score:1)
heheh, get your directional antennas primed! (Score:1)
Braddock
who has often wondered about bouncing boosted 802.11 off passing aircraft for 100+ mile range.
Funny thing is... (Score:1)
So, instead of the whole idea just being a black pit that Boeing is dropping money into, they are also racking up the expenses on an ad campaign. I wonder how many line workers they are going to have to lay off to pay for this screwed up idea...any guesses?
Sounds great (Score:1)
What's to stop someone from plugging in a laptop, paying for the service, then giving the rest of the plane NAT'ed access via 802.11?
Sorry, us techies just like to spend our time thinking of ways around things like that
Hackers playground (Score:1)
Geeks and Quake (Score:1)
or a hackers delight?
American Airlines Backing out? (Score:2)
While all the airlines are in the toilet right now, SouthWest and JetBlue are doing the best from what I understand. Isn't that hard to image? The two discount carriers who pride themselves on customer service not being in the shitter when everyone else is!?
Internet (for free) in all the seats would do great things for the US carriers that would install it (highest cost is fuel, not giving customers toys to keep them occupied.) I for one think it may be good for a couple of the major airlines to go belly up.
Sorry this is kind of off topic, but the issue really bugs me.
-Pete
Forget the internet access (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Forget the internet access (Score:1)
Re:Forget the internet access (Score:2)
Now if someone would just tell my boss...
I didn't mind tourist class to Dallas, after at it is a short flight. (and American gives more legroom then NorthWorst, at least on that flight), but stuck in tourist class to Europe was bad, I might upgrade out of my own pocket next time, two inches would be worth it. (and I think it is more than that)
Good Afternoon ladies and gentlemen, (Score:1)
Oh thank God *sarcasm* (Score:3, Interesting)
When are we going to see the end of this pathetic obsession for "all things shiny and fast" that we Americans are cursed with. For the love of Jeebus - do we really need to be on the Internet _that_ much?
I would like to see what kind of effect it would have on the average Slashdotter to be without electronic devices for 3 weeks (e.g. camping in Canada). I have a sneaking suspicion that it would leave most of you blubbering in the corner of your tent with a snot bubble hanging out of your nose.
But seriously, this story just reminded me how terribly inconsequential most of the "news" on this site really is. Guess what guys - there is actually more to life than downloading ISOs 30,000 feet about the ground.
[That's the end of my rant. Feel free to mod me into oblivion - I probably deserve it.]
Re:Oh thank God *sarcasm* (Score:2)
For the average slashdotter, this is a "Oooh, shiny" sort of thing. Now I can play Counter Strike on the plane! Whooppee! For business travelers, it's an added convenience. A reason to fly one airline over another. Access the the company network over a VPN. Besides, have you ever been on a really long flight? Say, Europe or Aisa from Detroit? I know several business travelers who do one or the other on a regular basis. It's cramped and it takes 10 hours or so. The ability to get some work done or browse a little (porn|slashdot) would be a very welcome diversion.
Great.. (Score:1)
Now I can frag online from 39,000 feet!
-Dave
woohoo (Score:1)
Impact. (Score:1)
I'm certain one plain destroying one building would have had a major impact, but less of one then three buildings hit and a handfull of dead hero's in PA.
Can it get paid for? (Score:1)
I would be willing to pay up to $5/hr for ethernet on a plane but it better be quick. DHCP is fine but its got to be bi-directional so some of the NAT tricks wouldn't work. I would also need power for thouse long trips (LAX->MEL is 17hrs).
The dish network recivers for the Cessna jets are a samll dish (10in?) that have a fast tracker on
them that sits on top of the rudder. Nice little devices.
Trademark? (Score:2)
Grr.
Re:Access (Score:2)