Mobile wifi

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Rickles

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#165971 26-Feb-2015 12:25

Just wondering what system buses and trains use to provide free wifi to travelers ... for example, here in Wellington we have the Airport Flyer that has free wifi aboard.

Is it satellite, or do they leave 3G/4G mobile broadband online the whole time? Seems expensive

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#1247010 26-Feb-2015 12:32

3G/4G broadband.

Satellite is impossible, it's a fixed service, not mobile.

Rickles

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#1247014 26-Feb-2015 12:42

>Satellite is impossible, it's a fixed service, not mobile.<

Ummm, but there are mobile satellite phones?

sbiddle

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#1247018 26-Feb-2015 12:45

Rickles: >Satellite is impossible, it's a fixed service, not mobile.<

Ummm, but there are mobile satellite phones?

Sat phones are very different to broadband, different satellites, different technology, different bandwidth capabilities and so on.

Without a 5000+ word explanation of different types of satellite technology, lets just summarise by saying mobile satellite based broadband in NZ isn't possible (and isn't possible across most of the planet unless you want really low bandwidth).

Dynamic

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#1247026 26-Feb-2015 12:56

Has anyone got a good link to an explanation of how large aircraft communicate via satellite?

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nathan

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#1247028 26-Feb-2015 12:58

do you know how much the bus fares would have to rise by, to be able to afford free WiFi delivered by Satellite?

nathan

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#1247029 26-Feb-2015 12:59

Dynamic: Has anyone got a good link to an explanation of how large aircraft communicate via satellite?

as in onboard WiFi or base to aircraft comms?

Jase2985

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#1247032 26-Feb-2015 12:59

sbiddle:Satellite is impossible, it's a fixed service, not mobile.

bull crap

we have it on the ships, it just has a satellite dish controller that adjusts the dish to point in the correct direction ie at the satellite in the sky.

we can get 2mbit down and .5mbit up and a ping of about 650ms. all that is dependent on the plan/technology you use, we have a second one which is a lot slower and has a higher latency.

its not cheap and probably not that practical for a bus as they have something like 3/4g available but its not impossible like you have said

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sbiddle

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#1247034 26-Feb-2015 13:00

Dynamic: Has anyone got a good link to an explanation of how large aircraft communicate via satellite?

If they're over land (ie inside the US) where terrestrial is used they're a CDMA 1x downlink to special cellsites.

If they're satellite based L/Ka/Ku band they used phased array antennas that are dual axis so they are always adjusting themselves to point at the correct satellite when the aircraft moves along.

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#1247035 26-Feb-2015 13:02

Jase2985:
sbiddle:Satellite is impossible, it's a fixed service, not mobile.

bull crap

we have it on the ships, it just has a satellite dish controller that adjusts the dish to point in the correct direction ie at the satellite in the sky.

we can get 2mbit down and .5mbit up and a ping of about 650ms. all that is dependent on the plan/technology you use, we have a second one which is a lot slower and has a higher latency.

Thankyou for describing a fixed service - it requires an antenna that is always maintaining alignment with the correct satellite(s). It is not a mobile service.

My comment about it being "impossible" referred specifically to use on a bus. Having a mobile L band service (which can be mobile) on a bus would be a joke. 1 person would saturate the entire 300 odd kbps.

markl

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#1247046 26-Feb-2015 13:17

nathan: do you know how much the bus fares would have to rise by, to be able to afford free WiFi delivered by Satellite?

LOL - do you know how EXPENSIVE the fares on the Airport Flyer bus already are????

nathan

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#1247048 26-Feb-2015 13:18

markl:
nathan: do you know how much the bus fares would have to rise by, to be able to afford free WiFi delivered by Satellite?

LOL - do you know how EXPENSIVE the fares on the Airport Flyer bus already are????

cheaper than a taxi

sbiddle

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#1247054 26-Feb-2015 13:25

markl:
nathan: do you know how much the bus fares would have to rise by, to be able to afford free WiFi delivered by Satellite?

LOL - do you know how EXPENSIVE the fares on the Airport Flyer bus already are????

$10 is much cheaper than every other option from the airport to the CBD.

If you don't like the cut the airport takes (and the fact it's a commercial service and not subsidised by taxpayers through GWRC funding to fares have to be higher) you can always walk the 200m to Hobart Street and take a regular bus from there.

Jase2985

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#1247074 26-Feb-2015 13:37

sbiddle:
Thankyou for describing a fixed service - it requires an antenna that is always maintaining alignment with the correct satellite(s). It is not a mobile service.

im sorry but i think you are wrong

there are many many websites that say mobile services can be offered from vehicles, ships and planes.

even the manufacture of one of our services says it a mobile service and its L band and based from a satellite.

but hey

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#1247080 26-Feb-2015 13:43

Jase2985:
sbiddle:
Thankyou for describing a fixed service - it requires an antenna that is always maintaining alignment with the correct satellite(s). It is not a mobile service.

im sorry but i think you are wrong

there are many many websites that say mobile services can be offered from vehicles, ships and planes.

even the manufacture of one of our services says it a mobile service and its L band and based from a satellite.

but hey

I'm fully aware mobile based L band is possible, hence my post at the very top of this thread saying it's possible if you want low bandwidth.

L band is expensive, slow, unsuitable for a bus (as you'd lose coverage continually using the example of the flyer bus) hence my statement that mobile satellite is not possible as a solution in this scenario.

Jase2985

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#1247089 26-Feb-2015 13:53

we have Ku and Ka band as well which are classed as mobile.

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