eli5 how come airplanes have wi-fi but we can’t get a phone signal?
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WiFi and Cellular are completely different radios. They have different specifications and operate in different frequency spectra.
Your phone generally will not work on a plane for a number of reasons, one of which is that they tend to restrict transmission in the vertical direction since this would be a waste of power. You’re also moving very quickly and passing from one cell to another very quickly. You’re also in a bit of a Faraday cage (surrounded by the aluminum fuselage).
When you connect to WiFi on a plane you are connecting to the planes local WiFi network. These generally have a single satellite connection through a roof mounted antenna. While you could technically make VoIP calls through this, it is against every major carrier’s policy (in the US at least).
Satellite phones should in theory work, but you are still in a Faraday cage, and unlikely to have a usable signal without an external antenna.
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