Airtime takes on a whole new meaning...

[Chris Edwards]

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/technology/article/0,1299,DRMN_49_2096055,00.html

"A year from now, a TV commercial might feature a horn-rimmed geek on an airplane saying into his cell phone, 'Can you hear me now?'

"Louisville-based AirCell Inc. has received a patent on technology that could make that statement a reality. The company, which puts its fixed telephones on general aviation aircraft, plans to offer equipment to commercial airlines by early 2004 that would allow passengers to use their own cell phones in flight."

The last thing we need is more 'Can you hear me now?' commercials .

Basically, they're just putting a mini-tower in the airplane which passengers on the airplane would hit instead of the ones on the ground. This mini-tower would then focus the calls onto certain towers on the ground so that the cell phones aren't hitting multiple towers at once (which is what would happen if you used a cell phone on a plane right now).

Sounds great, but there's one thing I noticed... look at all of the carriers that they are currently partnered with: Alltel, Western Wireless and U.S. Cellular. All of these carriers are CDMA, and as Jason pointed out a few posts earlier, we all love CDMA :roll:. Hopefully they work something out so that phones based on the GSM network will be able to take advantage of this service.

Issues aside, it'll be interesting to see how this turns out. AirCell is planning for a 2004 release, but ultimately it's up to the FAA, FCC and the airlines.

Using a cell phone in the sky would be pretty neat, but at their $1/minute estimate I think I'll just wait till the plane lands.

[Chris Edwards]

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/technology/article/0,1299,DRMN_49_2096055,00.html

"A year from now, a TV commercial might feature a horn-rimmed geek on an airplane saying into his cell phone, 'Can you hear me now?'

"Louisville-based AirCell Inc. has received a patent on technology that could make that statement a reality. The company, which puts its fixed telephones on general aviation aircraft, plans to offer equipment to commercial airlines by early 2004 that would allow passengers to use their own cell phones in flight."

The last thing we need is more 'Can you hear me now?' commercials .

Basically, they're just putting a mini-tower in the airplane which passengers on the airplane would hit instead of the ones on the ground. This mini-tower would then focus the calls onto certain towers on the ground so that the cell phones aren't hitting multiple towers at once (which is what would happen if you used a cell phone on a plane right now).

Sounds great, but there's one thing I noticed... look at all of the carriers that they are currently partnered with: Alltel, Western Wireless and U.S. Cellular. All of these carriers are CDMA, and as Jason pointed out a few posts earlier, we all love CDMA :roll:. Hopefully they work something out so that phones based on the GSM network will be able to take advantage of this service.

Issues aside, it'll be interesting to see how this turns out. AirCell is planning for a 2004 release, but ultimately it's up to the FAA, FCC and the airlines.

Using a cell phone in the sky would be pretty neat, but at their $1/minute estimate I think I'll just wait till the plane lands.

[sweetpete]

Originally Posted by Chris Edwards

Hopefully they work something out so that phones based on the GSM network will be able to take advantage of this service.

I recall reading some time ago that with GSM it's more of a technical limitation of the standard due to the speed that commercial airlines travel at. I'll have to see if I can dig up the article.
IIRC, TDMA has similar issues (GSM is based on TDMA) whereas CDMA doesn't.

[Arne Hess]

Originally Posted by sweetpete

I recall reading some time ago that with GSM it's more of a technical limitation of the standard due to the speed that commercial airlines travel at. I'll have to see if I can dig up the article.
IIRC, TDMA has similar issues (GSM is based on TDMA) whereas CDMA doesn't.

Yes, you are right but these articles (I was writing about this topic some time ago on PPCW.Net also) refers to handset connection to a base station on earth. However, what we are talking about here is using a BTS within the aircraft which is connected to the satellite dash and therefore calls are switched using satellites, not terrestrial base stations.

Anyway - "as always" the good GSM news comes from Europe again ops: :wink: because the European aircraft industry is working on a system which enables GSM users to use their phones in aircrafts too. First successful tests already done and it is expected that this system becomes reality 2004/05. :-)

[seanhanley]

In theory this sounds great, but in actuality it was a nightmare during a recent train ride from Boston to New York where everybody was constantly using their cell phones. Granted it was a Sunday, and everybody was using their "free weekends," but come on! Who wants to listen to these people talk non-stop at the top of their lungs, for literally hours! Not to mention the constant irritating ringing, and the irritating noises from all the silly games they would play between calls! I vowed never to travel by train again, and I think I'd kill myself if I had to endure all the rude cell phone talkers on a 5.5 hour flight from New York to Los Angeles!

[Jason Dunn]

Originally Posted by seanhanley

In theory this sounds great, but in actuality it was a nightmare...

Wow - that's a very, very good point. Sometimes unplugging is a good thing - read a book, play a game on your laptop...but other than screaming children, planes and most forms of mass transport are relatively quiet (ok, not subways). You're right, I wouldn't want to be trapped in between two people having loud cell phone conversaions.

(Jason imagines it) 8O

BAN CELL PHONES FROM PLANES! BAN CELL PHONES FROM PLANES!

[sweetpete]

Hehe ... I can see it now:

<quote>Sir, would you like a seat in the cell phone section or the non-cell phone section</quote>

:lol:

<quote>The lavaratories have been equipped with cell phone detectors. Any attempt to tamper with the cell phone detection device is a violation of federal laws ... </quote>

<quote>Ladies and gentlemen, the captain has turned on the turn off your cell phone sign ... </quote>

I'm sure airlines will need to take into consideration that some people do not want to be surrounded by these things and they will need to accomodate those passengers. Some people don't have very good cell phone etiquette and I can see some fights breaking out on planes 8O I know I'd be pissed if I was sleeping on a trans-atlantic flight and someone's phone rings because they forgot to turn off their phone or they start having a loud conversation.

[spg]

Originally Posted by sweetpete

Hehe ... I can see it now:

<quote>Sir, would you like a seat in the cell phone section or the non-cell phone section</quote>

:lol:

LOL! :lol:

In all actuality though, that may very well become a reality... not just on planes but in resturants and other such places. Unless there is a serious change in how people treat cell phone use, this doesn't sound like a bad idea.