In-flight Wi-Fi in South Africa is one step closer

Internal flights around SA are so short - I think the longest flight would be 2 hrs, that I really don't see the merit of having in-flight Wi-Fi. Great for countries like the USA or Australia, where internal flights can be up to 5 or 6 hours - also good for international flights. But for me, on local flights ? nah, I can wait an hour or two until I get to my destination.
 
surfs-up said:
Internal flights around SA are so short - I think the longest flight would be 2 hrs, that I really don't see the merit of having in-flight Wi-Fi. Great for countries like the USA or Australia, where internal flights can be up to 5 or 6 hours - also good for international flights. But for me, on local flights ? nah, I can wait an hour or two until I get to my destination.
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so why didn't they consult you on this? bastards :P

dude, this is for people who get on a plane, and have a business meeting in 2 hours, if i'm on a plane down to cape, and i have 2 hours to reply to emails, do a bit of work etc, then why not?

i'm sure its not for everyone, but i don't think its a stupid idea
 
Oh finally they can stop treating us like criminals for having our phones on.

It was getting a bit ridiculous with Kulula telling passengers to "tell on" other passengers who turn of their phones before the plane has come to a complete stop.
 
GSM still has to be switched off when using dual-mode devices, but airlines equipped with this technology may now apply for special exemption from the CAA to accommodate the use of Wi-Fi only with such phones.
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OK this is retarded. First they make rules saying no devices that emit a signal. So cellphone manufacturers create Airplane mode to accommodate this. Now they relax the rules, provide wifi and I've got a phone that supports wifi...but can't use it because the Airplane mode kills _all_ wireless signals including wifi. So short of schlepping a laptop along I can't use it?!?
 
HavocXphere said:
OK this is retarded. First they make rules saying no devices that emit a signal. So cellphone manufacturers create Airplane mode to accommodate this. Now they relax the rules, provide wifi and I've got a phone that supports wifi...but can't use it because the Airplane mode kills _all_ wireless signals including wifi. So short of schlepping a laptop along I can't use it?!?
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Airplane mode doesn't kill wifi, at least it doesn't on my iPhone...
 
HavocXphere said:
OK this is retarded. First they make rules saying no devices that emit a signal. So cellphone manufacturers create Airplane mode to accommodate this. Now they relax the rules, provide wifi and I've got a phone that supports wifi...but can't use it because the Airplane mode kills _all_ wireless signals including wifi. So short of schlepping a laptop along I can't use it?!?
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It depends on the phone but some phones allow you to switch wi-fi back on once you have enabled flight/airplane mode. Thus in essence, wi-fi is enabled but gsm is disabled. The Iphone for example allows that.
 
HavocXphere said:
OK this is retarded. First they make rules saying no devices that emit a signal. So cellphone manufacturers create Airplane mode to accommodate this. Now they relax the rules, provide wifi and I've got a phone that supports wifi...but can't use it because the Airplane mode kills _all_ wireless signals including wifi. So short of schlepping a laptop along I can't use it?!?
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gtway said:
Airplane mode doesn't kill wifi, at least it doesn't on my iPhone...
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It does kill it on my phone, but I can then switch in on as soon as Airplane mode is activated.
 
HavocXphere said:
OK this is retarded. First they make rules saying no devices that emit a signal. So cellphone manufacturers create Airplane mode to accommodate this. Now they relax the rules, provide wifi and I've got a phone that supports wifi...but can't use it because the Airplane mode kills _all_ wireless signals including wifi. So short of schlepping a laptop along I can't use it?!?
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Is your phone not capable of turning individual radios off, like Bluetooth and GSM/3G and leaving others, like WiFi on?
AFAIK any Android or iPhone can do this. "Airplane mode" is simply a clearly labelled mode that allows you to show flight-attendants that all radios are off without requiring them to be technical.

In any case, the fact that they let you take your phone and laptop on the plane at all is proof that they know that nothing serious is going to happen. Otherwise they would confiscate any and all electronic equipment.
 
Andysor said:
AFAIK any Android or iPhone can do this. "Airplane mode" is simply a clearly labelled mode that allows you to show flight-attendants that all radios are off without requiring them to be technical.
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SAA and most other airlines tell you on the intercom that even flight mode on cell phones is not allowed. I can see this causing a bit of chaos for a while after it's introduced to be honest. Too many airlines have too many policies.

For example, I'm generally told to switch off my kindle on approach for landing, but I was told on Ethiopian recently to switch it off altogether during the flight. After arguing that it didn't switch off, the hostess gave up and let me continue when I told her not to worry because it's just like a big digital watch :D
 
I thought cellphones were allowed on planes these days? On my last Kulula flight the pilot told us we don't have to switch off our phones anymore. This was in May this year.
 
Pah! I hate the petty airline rules - switch off your ipod, switch off your Kindle - switch off your Kindle REALLY get's my goat. Ignoramuses!

and, I'd like to know how the highly technology aware flight attendants are going to be able to distinguish between wifi on / gsm off and wifi on / gsm on. After all, in theory, if you have Skype loaded you can do a voice call via Wifi (taking cost out of the equation).

Watch this being restricted to laptops only.
 
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I don't switch off my phone in airplanes anymore. As there is no technical reason for this, I don't even see any reason to put it into flight mode. Hopefully SA will wake up in a few years time.
 
Viva said:
I don't switch off my phone in airplanes anymore. As there is no technical reason for this, I don't even see any reason to put it into flight mode. Hopefully SA will wake up in a few years time.
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It's not SA, it's the world. But anyway, I'm stunned anyone would presume to *know* there is no technical reason to switch off their phone while on a flight. As far as I can see, no-one seems to know one way or the other with regards to interference, including CAA, FAA, aircraft manufacturers and airlines. Think it's a lot of rubbish if you want to, but there is no definite proof and to think otherwise and possibly put an entire aircraft at risk because you *know* is irresponsible beyond belief. Especially when it's such a small and simple thing to do.
 
Andysor said:
In any case, the fact that they let you take your phone and laptop on the plane at all is proof that they know that nothing serious is going to happen. Otherwise they would confiscate any and all electronic equipment.
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+1. I've got an idea for an experiment. Next time you're on a flight, check how many devices have Bluetooth on.
 
Spizz said:
It's not SA, it's the world. But anyway, I'm stunned anyone would presume to *know* there is no technical reason to switch off their phone while on a flight. As far as I can see, no-one seems to know one way or the other with regards to interference, including CAA, FAA, aircraft manufacturers and airlines. Think it's a lot of rubbish if you want to, but there is no definite proof and to think otherwise and possibly put an entire aircraft at risk because you *know* is irresponsible beyond belief. Especially when it's such a small and simple thing to do.
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Sorry for not being clear. I do switch to flight mode, even though I'm sceptical about it doing any good. My biggest issue is with them not allowing flight mode.

If they seriously suspected that cellphones could mess with an aircraft's navigational systems, we wouldn't, like pointed out earlier in this thread, be allowed to have our phones with us. They wouldn't leave it up to the traveler.
 
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