FCC Considers Loosening In-Flight Cell Phone Ban

[Jerry Raia]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.gizmodo.com/gadgets/cellphones/fcc-considers-loosening-inflight-cell-phone-ban-027282.php' target='_blank'>http://www.gizmodo.com/gadgets/cellphones/fcc-considers-loosening-inflight-cell-phone-ban-027282.php</a><br /><br /></div><i>"It links to a Washington Post registration-only story, but Textually is reporting that the FCC is meeting to consider removing or loosening a ban on cell phone use in airplanes. Although most phones aren't going to work at cruising altitudes, the ban of wireless devices and other possibly electromagnetic-polluting gadgets has only ever been speculative."</i><br /><br />While it is true that cellphones won't work at altitude there have been tests with special receivers in the plane that could transmit via satellite. As a pilot I have always wondered about this ban. When we fly instrument approaches and are close to the runway aren't we flying near cell towers? The most critical moment that we are depending on radio and we are close to every manner of transmitter.

[mkent_barbados]

Why won't they work at altitude? At 5 miles up surely you are not out of range of most cell towers (well, when flying over land that is).

[Jerry Raia]

The problem I think is you are in range of TOO MANY cell sites at once. On the ground you are just near one or two maybe.

That is how it was explained to me once. Perhaps somebody with more knowledge will post.

[Kris Kumar]

I agree with Jerry. That is what I have read too. In the air your cell phone can see a number of cell towers. And combine that with the speed of the aircraft, the cell would be switching towers more rapidly than you can press a key on the keypad.

I even read that the above scenario can create a chaotic scenario for the cell tower switching software, especially when there are lot of cell phones in the air at high altitude.

[Fitch]

won't somebody PLEASE think of the passengers!!
I think they'll be banned, just for the simply annoyance factor. Can you imagine everyone talking to people on their phones around you? You thought it was bad in an un-crowded cafe, now you got people trying to yell over the engine roar.

[mkent_barbados]

How is it different from people just yakking at each other? Or kids screaming? Put on your headphones and watch a movie...I thought the whole issue was that they interphere with a plane's operations, which as we see just isn't the case. Might be other problems, but not that one...