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U.S. Airlines to Offer In-Air Wi-Fi
"Within the next year, US Airlines are going to be offering Wi-Fi service onboard flights. VoiP calls will be banned initially, but the article mentions that lifting the ban on cellphones may still be a possibility. 'AirCell will install equipment on airliners that will act as a WiFi hotspot in the cabin and connect to laptop computers and devices like BlackBerrys that have WiFi chips. In all, it will cost about $100,000 to outfit a plane with less than 100 pounds of equipment, and the work can be done overnight by airline maintenance workers, AirCell says. What makes the service particularly attractive to airlines is that they will share revenue with AirCell. The service will cost about the same as existing WiFi offerings. Mr. Blumenstein says it will charge no more than $10 a day to passengers. It will also offer discounted options for customers and tie into existing service programs like T-Mobile, iPass and Boingo. Speeds will be equivalent to WiFi service on the ground.'"
So all I need is a big antenna in my backyard and some tracking software and I can have free wifi!
Libertarian Leaning Political Discussion Forum.
Playing counter-strike will now be even more realistic. Imagine the kids screaming "haha, I'm going to blow this plane, you faggots!!!11" inside the plane. And the real CT squad goes berserker and pull their weapons. Pure pwnage!
Didn't you hear? VoIP packets interfere with the navigation of the plane. Do you want to kill us all, you fool?
Will it help if I turn the speakerphone on?
The Onion said it best the last time this issue came up: "If they lift the ban on cell-phone use, they better lift the ban on passengers beating the shit out of each other, too."
Phones should always be banned on a plane. I can't think of anything more annoying than listening to dozens of conversations going on around me while I try to sleep.
"Hi Mom!"
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"No, the plane just took off"
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"Well, it was all right, but our flight out of Amsterdam was delayed. I have NEVER seen an airport backed up like that before"
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"All-in-all, the trip was OK, but I am SO GLAD it is over"
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"Well, for one, Linette was SUCH a B-I-T-C-H for this ENTIRE trip. I was so happy when she caught her connecting flight at JFK."
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"Well, she used to be so nice, but, ever since her an Darren broke up, it has been a nightmare"
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"He cheated on her!
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"I KNOW! And he seemed to be so nice"
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"He slept with NICOLE, of all people"
I beg the powers-that-be to never, ever allow the use of cell phones on a plane. It will be enough for many of us to slit our wrists.
I can't believe they are going to let people talk to each other on planes. Just think how bad it is going to be when you hear both sides of the conversation.
That will be twice as much chatter!!!!
It interferes with the profit centers on the plane.