According to this AP article Boeing is dropping its wireless services from the design of the 787.  While this upsets me quite a bit there is a valid reason.

Reason #1:

Among the difficulties were attempts to get regulatory approval for wireless frequencies in about 100 different countries, and concerns about the amount of bandwidth available to passengers over the system, officials said.

Reason #2:

The 787 has been struggling to reach its target weight, and Boeing is pushing to trim extra pounds. [...] Boeing held onto the planned wireless system as long as possible, assuming that a switch to a wired system would add weight. But engineers found they could actually cut pounds by eliminating antennas, wireless access points and thickened ceiling panels…

I think the main reason was weight.  If you can’t get clearance to use frequencies in every country the plane could be in then you have to block the signal from exiting the fuselage of the aircraft thus forcing you to add more weight to interior and exterior surfaces.  When you throw in the fact this is a really big bird with weight issues to begin with then wired over unwired makes a huge difference.

It is disappointing that Boeing has dumped the  wireless systems program.  However, I think the ability to surf the Internet (at no cost) in airports and on planes is going to make air travel more likely.  I can surf the web in my car thanks to wireless service providers.  Why can’t I surf the web while I’m on a six hour flight?

[tags]Boeing, wireless[/tags]