Qantas to offer Netflix, Spotify and Foxtel via Wi-Fi

[Timtammi]

Media Releases - Qantas Wi-Fi to get a workout with Foxtel, Netflix and Spotify on board - Qantas News Room

 

[samh004]

Hopefully part of the deal isn't that they block Apple Music from working in exchange for Spotify as its not free streaming, it's just a trial. I already have a great subscription music service.

Interesting to see only Foxtel was willing to give customers access without making them signup. Would have loved to see Netflix offer free use onboard only + perhaps 1 day so you can finish your show you started.

 

[clazman]

Streaming over a satellite service ... prepare for the complaints

We all know that there are going to be tech issues with passengers trying to connect their devices and can't

Business idea ... what about a sanctioned QF Wifi in the terminal so PX can connect prior to boarding and may be a paid service to assist those that cant?

or will we see sky marshals and tech guys on flights ... happy to assist in J / F

 

[Pushka]

I love Qantas streaming so I can watch a movie then finish on a later flight.

 

[samh004]

I love Qantas streaming so I can watch a movie then finish on a later flight.

I was hoping this was how they would manage the service... instead of allowing nearly every person onboard to stream their own content, they could for example arrange for the Foxtel content to be available through their app, so if 2 people end up streaming the same thing, only 1 actual stream comes through the bandwidth.

Essentially an updated version of DJ's Live2Air.

Then again, if they're announcing 3 services they must think they'll have the bandwidth required.

 

[RichardMEL]

Yes, I think bandwidth would be the issue. Imagine a big sport event, footy game on and even 30/40 pax out of 150 want to stream it to their devices.... (I know I would)

Hoping that, as an existing foxtel(for example) or netflix customer we could plug in with our registered devices and be allowed access to our accounts rather than some sort of reduced basic deal.

Guess we'll have to wait and see.. and yes I imagine there will be tech issues and complaints


but here's something I have for the complainers... since QF is going to offer all this for free, I reckon getting a facebook message out in flight will be a bonus and if people want to wine that their netflix has issues... well one needs to put it in perspective.

The problem will be the promises QF makes vs what they can deliver.... we'll see (possibly buffered )

 

[footy99]

If they have enough bandwidth to handle streaming live sport, this is going to make a huge difference to weekend flights.

 

[clazman]

Timely video

VIDEO How to install a Wifi antenna on a Boeing 777 fuselage? | AIRLIVE.net

 

[ap_member]

Foxtel will offer three days free access to its Foxtel app every time a customer flies

This is really cool! Since they (Australian carriers) are late to the Wi-Fi game, it's great to see Qantas actually taking it a step further and adding some innovation with good content deals. This extended access would be great for finishing off a show you're halfway through on a shorter flight. Can't wait to test it out.

 

[badseed]

A mate works in this field and reliably informs me that the 2ku Gogo satelite tech, combined with a multi-antenna array, can indeed provide pretty significant bandwidth (Currently 70Mbps per antenna, moving to 200Mbps later this year).

However the other solution is that they can just slot in a 1U or 2U rack mounted networked computer for Netflix onto the aircraft and away they go. So they use the internet to authenticate user accounts, but the actual streaming is coming from a device on the aircraft. (See: https://openconnect.netflix.com/en/hardware/). Massive reduction in traffic to-or-from the aircraft. Foxtel is another matter, and may be quarantined from the general internet traffic.

So all very doable.

 

[samh004]

However the other solution is that they can just slot in a 1U or 2U rack mounted networked computer for Netflix onto the aircraft and away they go. So they use the internet to authenticate user accounts, but the actual streaming is coming from a device on the aircraft. (See: https://openconnect.netflix.com/en/hardware/). Massive reduction in traffic to-or-from the aircraft. Foxtel is another matter, and may be quarantined from the general internet traffic.

Does this just store the most frequently used media?

 

[RichardMEL]

So essentially use the current Qstreaming infrastructure to offer up stored content to authorised users? Interesting idea - they could update content at ground stations overnight once a day/week/month(whatever). I could see the appeal of that.

It doesn't address streaming of live content eg: Foxtel Go/play app to get you your sky news(which they mention), sports channels (implied) etc. I mean if I am going to stream to my device, I'd really want to have life content like the news, or a sports program or something.. else I'd just have my own personal content that wouldn't suffer from dropouts or other things.

 

[moa999]

can indeed provide pretty significant bandwidth (Currently 70Mbps per antenna, moving to 200Mbps later this year).
.

Still at 70Mbps that's only 14 x 5Mbps HD streams. On a 160 seat aircraft. Can very quickly see it getting overwhelmed if they don't limit and store content

 

[RichardMEL]

Still at 70Mbps that's only 14 x 5Mbps HD streams. On a 160 seat aircraft. Can very quickly see it getting overwhelmed if they don't limit and store content

Agreed. this is why I wonder if content will be limited to a few channels which they could cache at the aircraft server level and repeat loocally. eg offer a few netflicx shows or foxtel challens say news, sport1, fox8 etc they grab 1 stream into the a/c, then can fire each stream out to x devices saving bandwidth. Unfortunately would limit the usefulness

 

[samh004]

Agreed. this is why I wonder if content will be limited to a few channels which they could cache at the aircraft server level and repeat loocally. eg offer a few netflicx shows or foxtel challens say news, sport1, fox8 etc they grab 1 stream into the a/c, then can fire each stream out to x devices saving bandwidth. Unfortunately would limit the usefulness

Limits the usefulness but also increases the quality of the service. Would prefer quality over constant dropouts because everyone is on a different channel.

 

[clazman]

I think the QF IT guys are cringing at what the marketing guys are saying ...

 

[clazman]

A mate works in this field and reliably informs me that the 2ku Gogo satelite tech, combined with a multi-antenna array, can indeed provide pretty significant bandwidth (Currently 70Mbps per antenna, moving to 200Mbps later this year).

However the other solution is that they can just slot in a 1U or 2U rack mounted networked computer for Netflix onto the aircraft and away they go. So they use the internet to authenticate user accounts, but the actual streaming is coming from a device on the aircraft. (See: https://openconnect.netflix.com/en/hardware/). Massive reduction in traffic to-or-from the aircraft. Foxtel is another matter, and may be quarantined from the general internet traffic.

So all very doable.

Can you ask your mate what this service costs and what latency can you expect?

A standard 4mb sat service on 4:1 contention start at about 2.5K up to 10K a month.... with latency around 1000ms....

 

[Limewood]

I do hope its mandatory to hear via headphones, otherwise it will be hell

 

[Pleb Status]

Although it would be very good if it all operates as currently being 'marketed', I think in reality there will need to be a lot of restrictions (as some have already suggested above) or the whole system will just bog down and become useless to all users.

The last time I checked in the QF lounge I was struggling to get 1.0-1.5Mbps and this should be on gigabit fibre. If QF cannot deliver a 'decent' level of service to a fixed location via fibre, are they really going to be able to deliver a 'far better' service to a moving location via satellite and at no cost to any pax at all? A single lounge may have more pax at any one time compared to a single aircraft, but a lot of the lounge pax are using their own connections (via 4G etc) to access the web or not accessing it at all.

I would like to be able to stream via Foxtel Go at decent quality (especially live sporting events etc) but I believe Foxtel still use an older compression technology which means the file sizes are very large in comparison to the latest technologies. So if QF are going to actively promote the use of Foxtel onboard, this may compound the possible congestion issue even further versus people streaming something else like Youtube etc.

It will be interesting to read the trip reports when the first aircraft is turned on in the next week or two.

(Aircraft is VH-XZB which has been spending most of its time on the SYD-MEL-BNE triangle lately according to FR24)

 

[miniyazz]

It will probably be like the Q streaming situation with people like myself unable to watch anything due to DRM issues (I've tried two different phones and tech support are useless). However, I no longer care since Netflix allowed offline streaming - which also makes this new proposition basically irrelevant for me.

If they decide to roll it out on longer flights, they'll hopefully provide some charging facilities.