Boeing Eyes In-Flight Live TV on Your Laptop

cobravenum2 writes "Boeing is planning to add live television to its Connexion by Boeing service during 2005, The television programs will be delivered across the Connexion network, which uses satellites to provide high-speed data connections between aircraft in-flight and ground stations linked to the Internet. The service entered commercial use earlier this year and provides a 5 megabits per second shared downstream and 1 mbps shared upstream connection to suitably equipped aircraft. You'll be able to view up to four channels of live TV over your laptop."

Comments

Great

[mordors9]

Now I can have some loudmouth on one side talking on his cell phone and some woman watching oprah on the other. Life can't get much better.

Re:Airlines become profitable again

[svallarian]

Not sure if I want to mod this +1 funny or +1 (eww-hate to be sitting next to THAT guy on the plane)

What about Over-Ocean Flights?

[wasted]

The television programs will be delivered across the Connexion network, which uses satellites to provide high-speed data connections between aircraft in-flight and ground stations linked to the Internet.

So those long TransPacific flights will only have sporadic TV coverage? Those are the ones that could use it the most. Or will 747 aircraft start following the equivalent of ETOPS routes to ensure internet coverage?

* ETOPS Routes - Routes flown by twin engine aircraft on extended overwater flights to ensure that they can reach land within a certain amount of time in the event of an engine failure.

Re:What about Over-Ocean Flights?

[Chuck Chunder]

So those long TransPacific flights will only have sporadic TV coverage?

No. As what you quoted clearly says a satellite connects the plane to the ground station.
Plane <--> Satellite <--> Ground station

TV?

[bfields]

The service entered commercial use earlier this year and provides a 5 megabits per second shared downstream and 1 mbps shared upstream connection to suitably equipped aircraft. You'll be able to view up to four channels of live TV over your laptop.

5 megabits downstream and 1mbps upstream, and we get.... TV?

Great.

--Bruce Fields

SONG already has this - and more...

[datastalker]

Song has a partnership with Dish Network, and provides 24 channels of TV to the screen in the headrest in front of you. They also provide trivia, music (broadcast and create your own playlist (for a fee)), as well as movies (for a fee), and games (for a fee). The fees for the pay-per stuff are reasonable, but there's enough free (trivia and 24 channels) stuff to keep you busy the entire flight.

Why Bother? JetBlue has TV.

[bjbest]

JetBlue advertises that they offer 36 channels of DirecTV. Screen at every seat. For free. Right now. No need to bring your own equipment.

Not to mention the Airlines pricing this service..

[green pizza]

Most of the large airlines in the USA have a really difficult time dealing with onboard services and prices. Several of the biggies started charging for their poor quality meals. Pretty much every USA airline has a very poor excuse for first class (especially when compared to foreign airlines). Customer service is more than just a few listed items on some cutesy poster by the ticket counter.

So I'm wondering how these same airlines are going to implement and charge for this new service. Just because Boeing is offering it, doesn't mean that every airline is going to automatically buy and install these systems and not charge the passengers!

If American Airlines can't figure out how to serve a *large* dish of ice cream in first class, then I don't see how they're going to find the value in onboard streaming data and video.