QR To Provide Inflight Internet And SMS
Doha, Qatar – Qatar Airways and OnAir today announced an agreement to install Mobile OnAir inflight passenger communications services on board the airline’s single-aisle fleet.
The agreement will see airline install the technology on all 22 single-aisle Airbus A319, A320 and A321 aircraft in the fleet as well as several new aircraft on order. The aircraft currently operate routes across the Middle East, India, Sri Lanka and across Europe.
Passengers will be able to stay connected inflight using their own mobile phones or BlackBerry-type devices to send and receive text messages and emails, and access the Internet. They will also be able to access the Internet using their own laptops fitted with GSM data cards.
Airlines equipped with OnAir services can choose to provide voice and data or data services only, depending on time of day and passenger preferences
For More Details...
http://www.qatarairways.com/global/en/newsroom/archive/PressRelease_2Apr...
Doesnt affect me....I avoid that airline...touchwood.
text msg & internet is fine..but calls..it will be more of a pain for others i guess..!
I guess, emirates have initiated some kind of recommendation to use mobiles on board...!!
~noms~
"Before God we are all equally wise ' and equally foolish" - Albert Einstein
Qatar Airways Rocking, keep it going. Its nice to hear it from Qatar Airways. The long hours of mushy journey now will be with fun..
I have seen this on the states so many years ago, and know QA they will announce that they are the only exclusive airline for this technology (hehe). Also not anyone can afford this service, because as far as I remember it cost around $10 per minute to use the phone and around $6 for SMS plus you need a credit card ( Sorry no QNB, DB, CBQ ) ,,,,,,, so how much your ticket will be after you reach your destination ....!!
At the moment, they're not allowing voice calls. Only txt messages. They announced about a year ago that they would not allow mobile calls on their flights, and this seems to show they're standing by that.
I hope they force everyone to put their phones on silent though. Imagine a flight full of constant "beep beep, beep beep".
Oh please noooooo!!
there goes the ONE place I don't have to listen to people talking on the phone!!! Thank goodness its only the single aisle planes so far...Can you imagine the Doha to Houston flight, which is 17 hours straight...trying to sleep and hearing some yahoo yammering on the phone the entire time???!!!
If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you; that is the main difference between a dog and man.
-Mark Twain-
I hope they block VOIP services, I would hate to spend the entire flight next to a guy yelling on his phone.
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What difference does it make to the dead whether the mad destruction is wrought under the name of totalitarianism or democracy?
-Gandhi
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I've seen this press release in a number of outlets, and it's very interesting that at no time is the issue of cost raised.
I am assuming that with this technology, once you are onboard your phone will connect to the base station on the aircraft, rather than the base stations on the ground, so your data will be going through QA's technology.
The obvious implication will be that QA will be able to charge you whatever they want to be the intermediary between you and your telephony provider.
I am just imagining now someone sitting on a QA flight bound for Berlin sending 300 texts, only to discover that the QA price, let's say, US$1 each, or maybe more.
If QA is going to offer this sort of service you would think the polite thing to do is disclose the price rather than implying that they have invested millions in the technology and that it will be offered for free.