United Airlines Onboard WiFi

United Airlines is rapidly outfitting planes with onboard WiFi.  After the WiFi retrofit (external antenna for internet, internal antennas for passenger connectivity, onboard hardware for content, integration for internet vendor and billing), display monitors and associated seat buttons (volume, channel) are being removed.

Currently free, the new systems will be pay-to-access both content and internet.

When onboard, the traveler connects their WiFi device to the URL www.unitedwifi.com.  After takeoff, service staff may have to reset the system to establish internet connectivity.

In general, media picture quality is a little blocky - certainly not high definition.  Overall, media streams surprisingly well for early months of the service availability.

This shows not all modern portable devices are supported.

A drawback to the new media services is removal of the air traffic control channel.  Another drawback is people who forget to bring headphones and use device speakers, rudely disturbing everyone around their seat.  There likely will need to be a rule or extreme peer pressure requiring speakers to be disabled.