The science behind airplane internet and how it works

The airline industry is expected to be worth $130 billion by 2035 which makes anyone wonder why the in-flight Wi-Fi is so slow yet so expensive. Also, with the plane being at such a high speed and 36000 feet in the air, how does it manage to have Wi-Fi in the first place? Well, there are two ways namely satellites in space and towers on the ground.

ATG

The mode of receiving internet from towers is called Air To Ground or the ATG method. The plane will pick up signals from the towers on the ground. This is faster because the towers are closer to the plane than the satellites. However, when the plane is flying above vast water bodies and deserts where there are no towers, it won’t catch any signals. Similarly, when the plane is flying over countries that have restrictions on the use of internet, again there will be no signal.

Satellite Mode

When it comes to the satellite mode, the dome shaped antenna on the top of the aircraft will pick up signals from satellites. This system will use ku-band or ka-band connections which is similar to 3G and 4G internet that we use. The satellite system is much faster and more efficient than the ATG system, but there will still be hiccups since all passengers are sharing the same Wi-Fi.

Additional Factors

The quality and speed of the Wi-Fi depends on four more factors. They are the airline, the aircraft, the in-flight Wi-Fi supplier and the region you’re travelling to and from. The airline needs to support Wi-Fi in the first place. Secondly, if the airline offers it, that doesn’t mean that the aircraft supports it. So, the aircraft also plays an important role in you being able to access the internet 36000 feet above sea level. In-flight Wi-Fi providers like Gogo, Thales and Panasonic, each have different speeds and quality. Lastly, the route also needs to be checked. If you’re flying over mountains and oceans, or above countries that have restrictions, you won’t be in luck when it comes to the internet.

Is The Cost Worth It?

Investment in technology is a big expense for airlines. Also, the upgradation will take a while, and the airline will have to be out of service for a few days leading to loss of revenue. So, it’s not a high priority for some airlines. Some in-flight internet service providers have ten-year contracts which makes negotiations difficult. On the other hand, a survey revealed that 67% of passengers will re-book with the same airline if the quality of the internet is excellent. This is a pretty good reason for airlines to invest in better in-flight internet services.