Dish partners with Southwest Airlines to provide TV on board

[mike123abc]

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...02xs2nSYfRDpYnqkw&sig2=ertWizcpolVnhXt4oBRmOg

The move that marks a departure from other airlines' strategies by having a third party rather than customers—pay for in-flight entertainment.

Starting Monday, customers can access 14 live TV channels and up to 75 on-demand TV shows free on their Wi-Fi-enabled devices during flights on 427 of Southwest's planes, more than 60% of its fleet. The service previously cost $5.

Passengers will have to watch a 30-second Dish Network commercial to access the free TV. The companies said the promotion would last through at least the end of the year, and that they hope to make it a long-term partnership. Southwest will continue to charge fliers for Wi-Fi and entertainment outside the Dish offerings.

It appears to not be available via free media yet. Hopefully a free article to come soon.

 

[Tampa8]

I actually knew about this about a year ago, just not how it was going to work. School friend is involved in the implementation of it. Southwest in surveys got very high positive feedback in providing TV channels in flight. The surprising part, I'm told several Fox channels and even MLB will be offered.

 

[mike123abc]

http://video.foxbusiness.com/v/2520...-teams-up-with-dish/?playlist_id=932683241001

Deal mentioned in the business wrap up.

http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/news/2013/07/01/dish-southwest-partner-in-free.html?page=all

Denver article on it. Interesting Dish is giving Southwest FF points to those that sign up for Dish.

 

[HDdude24]

http://gizmodo.com/you-can-watch-live-tv-in-flight-on-your-ipad-on-southwe-645198415

 

[dare2be]

Where do they mount the LNB on the plane?

Gives new meaning to the term "wing dish".

 

[Tampa8]

Actually Delta had some Dish Network channels for awhile on their "Song" flights with monitors in the seats. That system I believe was directly from Dish, and really was with some kind of antenna because certain turns of the plane would lose the signal momentarily. This I believe is done by Southwest's satellite system receiving the Dish signal and it being sent over the WiFi in the plane.

 

[Beavis]

So if a plane flies over a MLB stadium will they get a blackout message? :haha

 

[Tampa8]

LMFAO.

 

[TheKrell]

I'd like to see the head end too.

 

[mrplow]

Watched live tv for my 4 hour flight. Worked great.

 

[Dishman1978]

Where do they mount the LNB on the plane?

Gives new meaning to the term "wing dish".

I figure a couple tailgaters on the wing tips would do pretty well.

 

[TheKrell]

Yeah, until the plane took off!

Getting serious, I'd bet money that the Dish antenna is a conformal array on the top of the aircraft. A conformal array is a type of phased array antenna that conforms to the shape of the underlying structure. Since it's a phased array, it can be electronically pointed at the satellite(s).

I'd still like to know what they have at the "head end" of their TV distribution system. Is it a stack of 211's, or something we are unfamiliar with?

 

[dare2be]

I'd still like to know what they have at the "head end" of their TV distribution system. Is it a stack of 211's,

I'll just go ahead and do it again.........

Gives new meaning to the term "little black box"