I remain confused as to ACARS and Pings
ACARS is, I believe, a maintenance information collection and transmission system. The next stop will have manuals open to the correct pages and spare parts close at hand and appropriate test equipment since they have received information as to what systems have reported error states en route. Reports go to the cockpit after a one minute suspense window that groups them by priority.
A "Ping" is merely an electronic handshake at the network level and does not mean anything at all about intending to transmit information or expecting to receive information; it is simply confirmation of the existence of a network connection.
Now for some reason the Carrier did NOT pay to have its ACARS data sent via satellite so the question for me is: Why would anyone try to disrupt the ACARS system if it was known that the Carrier did not pay to have ACARS data transmitted. Does such an attempt to disrupt the ACARS system indicate lack of familiarity with the carrier's operations?