Scobleizer - Latest Comments in Why did Boeing’s wifi service die?

Re: Why did Boeing’s wifi service die?

Jenny — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 13:37:31 -0000

If you click the second one down at sourcearticle.info there's some more information

Re: Why did Boeing’s wifi service die?

Kevin Closson — Sun, 12 Nov 2006 19:48:42 -0000

I know I'll miss it when it is gone... here it is Nov 12 and I am sitting on UA 8851 PDX->FRA and still got an IP address ...I'd be willing to pay a lot more than 26 bucks for internet enroute for sure..ok, back to working on my blog : kevinclosson.wordpress.com

Re: Why did Boeing’s wifi service die?

vinnie mirchandani — Sun, 20 Aug 2006 09:47:20 -0000

Sorry, Robert I blame the major US airlines not Boeing for the failure of the product - see below

http://dealarchitect.typepa...

Re: Why did Boeing’s wifi service die?

James O'Neill — Sat, 19 Aug 2006 18:50:18 -0000

The only flights I did on SAS were in business, there was 110 V power at the seats. 10 hours Wifi for $30 was cheaper than than the service at Copenhagen airport. Ironically the service came from Boeing and SAS fly Airbus A340s to Seattle.

BA Sold me their £75 adapter to convert 12V to 110 on their flights, which is one more power adapter as if I don't carry enough of those

The work I could do on the plane was worth more than the price of the ticket - and I would only work Europe to the US and sleep the other way.

Even so, it was clear that not enough people paid the $30 to get back the investment.

Re: Why did Boeing’s wifi service die?

Nik Cubrilovic — Sat, 19 Aug 2006 01:42:40 -0000

The solution is to just let us use our phones, you can at least get coverage some of the time (spending the take-off, landing taxying time online would be enough for me). Seems too logical (there is no real threat to in-flight systems, if a phone can take down a plane then they wouldn't be letting us board with them, considering now that even water is banned)

Re: Why did Boeing’s wifi service die?

lknobel — Fri, 18 Aug 2006 13:53:09 -0000

I agree that it's sometimes nice to get off the grid.

On the power problem, British Airways offers a neat power point (only business and 1st class, sadly) that requires an expensive little adapter, which is well worth it if you fly a lot. Virgin Atlantic also provides power at every seat in Upper Class. So when your start-up is a huge financial success…

Re: Why did Boeing’s wifi service die?

Gary Potter — Fri, 18 Aug 2006 13:20:48 -0000

There's also a good write up over at the IAG Blog.
http://iagblog.blogspot.com...

Re: Why did Boeing’s wifi service die?

Gary Potter — Fri, 18 Aug 2006 13:18:02 -0000

Connexion died because it wasn't profitable. The tech community is not broad enough to keep the product operating in the black. Today, no airline, expect those that are hiding behing bankruptcy, can afford to underwrite money losers. Several years ago, a colleague spent the better part of 18 months pushing an initiative dubbed "Aircraft Automation". (lot's of no brainer applications integrated for the inflight environment). All he has to show for it today is some classy power point slides. Sad, but true. It's all about money.

Re: Why did Boeing’s wifi service die?

Martin Spedding — Fri, 18 Aug 2006 13:02:58 -0000

That is a real big shame one of the reasons I used the Copenhagen to Seattle flight with SAS was because of the wifi access. I used it to view tv over the slingbox and to not go mad over the 10 hours flight. I just wonder why the flights are always so bad on the return flight...not everyone sleeps and now you will not even be able to surf. Seems a real shame.

Re: Why did Boeing’s wifi service die?

Shree..\\ — Fri, 18 Aug 2006 13:00:16 -0000

I guess the market for Wifi in air is still nascent. But if you consider the bans on laptops and other portable devices onborad planes, this will be a boost. Just imagine renting a laptop on board with wifi access, It wouldnt be too late before you see a new product in this space.

Re: Why did Boeing’s wifi service die?

Michael Urlockder — Fri, 18 Aug 2006 12:31:08 -0000

Off-grid is right.

My view: Don't trust what people say; trust to what they do.

Market research said there was a big market for this service, with In-Stat saying 44% of those surveyed said that they would be interested in Wi-Fi on airplanes.

But user actions suggest otherwise. Note how Verizon cancelled its AirFone service for similar reasons: The phones are idle. And it may not be just about price.

If you watch people on airplanes, you might gather that the following activities are highly valued and popular, but might not rate in surveys:

*Snooze
*Booze
*Eat
*Watch movie
*Listen to iPod
*Daydream

More detail on Connexion's Disruption Score at:

http://www.ondisruption.com...

Re: Why did Boeing’s wifi service die?

LayZ — Fri, 18 Aug 2006 11:56:58 -0000

Are you doing re-runs because it's summer?

ttp://scobleizer.wordpress....

Re: Why did Boeing’s wifi service die?

Ian Betteridge — Fri, 18 Aug 2006 03:08:28 -0000

When airlines all start to offer mobile phone access on the plane, the first one to ban it and advertiser with "No phones... no WiFi... no worries. Get off the grid with SnookAir" will reap a whole lot of money.

Re: Why did Boeing’s wifi service die?

Robert Scoble — Fri, 18 Aug 2006 02:30:53 -0000

met: that was part of it, but the tech itself is super expensive and very specialized.

Re: Why did Boeing’s wifi service die?

met — Fri, 18 Aug 2006 02:21:55 -0000

Did it cost them that much coz they were modifying existing planes?
If they integrate it during the production of a new plane, it has to be consistently lower.

Boeing should make provisions for future designs.

Re: Why did Boeing’s wifi service die?

Derek K. Miller — Fri, 18 Aug 2006 01:57:39 -0000

It's unfortunate, because Boeing was marketing it to the ocean shipping community too, who really could use all that Wi-Fi (imagine being at sea for WEEKS -- that's when a live Internet connection would be handy). But the death of the airborne component seems to have killed the marine one as well. Plus they were having trouble keeping the transceivers working well with all the salt water etc. Pity. It would have been good for our business.

Re: Why did Boeing’s wifi service die?

kr8tr — Fri, 18 Aug 2006 01:00:16 -0000

I will be sad to see it go as well. I only got to use it once, on a cross country to Stanford (for When 2.0, I think). It worked well, and I had four extra batteries. So I got my $30 worth.

Something will replace it, I am sure. It's not a matter of IF, but WHEN.

Rob