Is in-flight Wi-Fi paid? free? How to have fun on the cheap

Recently, more and more airlines are providing in-flight Wi-Fi service.

If you are flying for business purposes such as business trips or business, you may think that it is a waste to spend a long flight time just sleeping.

I woke up last night, but I didn't finish the work, emails that I need to reply to quickly, etc...

If you can handle it while flying, you'll have more time!

(Maybe it's the only thing that separates from work and takes away time to rest...?)

It is not a universal service because there are still restrictions depending on the type of aircraft and you have to pay a separate fee, but it is a useful service for those who need it.

What the hell kind of principle?

Using portable electronic devices such as smartphones, tablet PCs, and laptops to use wireless communication anywhere, regardless of location, is a sight we are all too familiar with now.

But airplanes are a different story! Communication is still not smooth in subways, underground parking lots, elevators, etc., so there is a stuttering phenomenon.

The answer is satellite!

There are two main ways to use wireless communication on board.

The first method is ATG!

ATG is an abbreviation of 'Air To Ground' and is a method of connecting to a communication base station on the ground through an antenna attached to an aircraft.

Just like we use wireless communication on the ground, the airplane connects to the ground station network and sends a Wi-Fi signal to the plane.

However, this method has a fatal limitation that it cannot be used in a section above the sea where there is no terrestrial base station.

Because Korea is surrounded by sea on three sides, it is practically impossible to use it on international routes because it is necessary to pass over the sea to go abroad.

The second method is Ku band!

How to use artificial satellites.

It is a method in which a communication signal is sent from a ground base station to a satellite and the satellite transmits the signal back to the airplane.

The same principle as above makes it possible to use the Internet even in the middle of the sea.

Compared to the ATG method, it is a distinct advantage to be able to use the Internet in various places without restrictions.

However, it takes a lot of time for the signal to arrive because it has to go through a phase called satellite, and the distance from the ground to the satellite and the distance from the satellite to the plane are all long.

Conversely, it will take that long for the signal input from the plane to reach the ground, right?

The required time causes a phenomenon called 'lag', but unfortunately there is no way to overcome this phenomenon yet.

Is in-flight Wi-Fi as convenient as terrestrial Wi-Fi?

It would be very convenient to be able to use the internet as freely on the plane as on the ground.

It seems that it will still take some time for the in-flight wireless communication function to become common.

If you need to quickly process a large amount of data at once, such as video playback, video call, zoom connection, or music playback through real-time streaming, it is considered impossible.

It is possible to run games and videos that have already been downloaded, messengers such as KakaoTalk, and simple Internet searches, but it is difficult to use them as quickly and freely as on the ground.

I think there are many people who feel that they are not satisfied with the cost because they are not as free as they are on earth, and even have to pay a separate fee.

Why is it paid?

Most of the Wi-Fi on the ground is free, but on the plane, you have to pay a separate fee for each person because of the high fuel consumption of the antenna.

Also, since one Wi-Fi has to be shared by all passengers on board, the more users there are, the slower it will inevitably be.

However, since the fee is usually charged in US dollars (USD), it may feel more expensive in this high exchange rate era.

The fee for using in-flight Wi-Fi varies by airline.

There are many airlines around the world, but among Korean airlines, I will introduce the service cost of Asiana Airlines, which provides in-flight Wi-Fi service :)