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If you have traveled by plane then you would know that there is no network on the phone while traveling in flight. Then how does WiFi work and where does it get the signal from? Let us tell you.
How is WiFi signal received thousands of feet above the ground?
New Delhi: Air India has recently announced the launch of Wi-Fi services in its flights and is the first airline company in the country to do so. However, Elon Musk’s company Starlink was also preparing for it. But Air India announced to start this service for its air passengers even before the arrival of Starlink. Air India is currently providing Wi-Fi facility in some of its flights under the pilot program, but most of the aircraft still do not have this facility.
By the way, have you ever wondered how WiFi works in a flight flying at an altitude of 30-40 thousand feet? If you have traveled by air then you would know that there is no signal in the mobile during the flight. Let us tell you today about where the Wi-Fi signal comes from in a flight flying thousands of feet above.
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How to get network in flight
Internet works in flight through air-to-ground system. In this technology, the antenna installed on the aircraft takes the signal from the nearest tower on the ground. But let us tell you that when your flight passes through a sea or a mountain, it cannot receive signals. Therefore the network does not work at these places.
Apart from this, there is a satellite based Wi-Fi system in flight. In this, the satellite sends signals directly to the antenna installed on the aircraft. In air-to-ground network, using satellite, the signal is first transmitted to the transmitter on the ground and then to the antenna of the aircraft.
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Even though only one airline company has provided this facility in India, the facility of inflight Wi-Fi has been available in foreign countries for a long time. According to America’s two major airlines, Delta and United, more than 1.5 million passengers use their inflight Wi-Fi service every month. According to JetBlue Airlines, millions of customers use its service every year.
Air India is soon going to provide inflight Wi-Fi facility in India. However, initially this facility will be provided on select Air India flights. The Wi-Fi service will be available on the airline’s Airbus A350, Boeing 787-9 and Airbus A321neo aircraft. The airline is already operating under a pilot program.
