10-04-2005, 09:00 PM
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Contributing Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,228
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Coming To A Plane Near You - A Guy Screaming Into His Cell Phone
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/04/business/04cell.html?ei=5090&en=70ea3a44c99b2f86&ex=1286078400&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&pagewanted=print
"Security lines, weather delays and equipment failures make flying a burden for many. For Jason Green, it is a slice of heaven - virtually the only place he is not bombarded by phone calls and e-mail. "Being on a plane has become a mini-retreat for me," said Mr. Green, 32, executive vice president of Touchstone Pictures. "Long international flights are like vacation. No phone, no e-mail and no guilt for being unreachable." But Mr. Green's no-obligation oasis may soon disappear. Federal regulators are reassessing the rules barring phones in the air even as some international airlines are gradually introducing Internet access to their planes. And two European carriers - TAP Air Portugal and BMI, a British company - said recently that they would become the first to proceed with cellphone service, in three-month trials on flights within Europe next year."
I am so NOT looking forward to this. I like getting on a plane and being in my own world for a few hours. It is a chance to catch up on email, projects that always seem to take a back seat at the office, reading and even a cat nap. It infuriates me to be next to or near someone willing to pay the $5/minute rates on those "air phones" because they are generally inconsiderate of people around them, and speak as if the length of their conversation and the volume of their voice denotes their importance somehow. :evil:
Hmmm... perhaps my next bit of mobile technology will be this. :devilboy:
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10-04-2005, 09:07 PM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,468
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I'm in two minds on this. I'm all for being able to use mobile data services on a plane. However - the first time I'm on a plane and someone sitting next to me starts a phone conversation (and particularly if it is in the standard mobile phone 'shout') - within five minutes they *will* be requiring surgery to remove said phone from one orifice or another...
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10-04-2005, 09:10 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Nov 2002
Posts: 172
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Welcome to a new level of air rage. This is NOT a good idea. Just because you can doesn't mean you should.
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10-04-2005, 09:19 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 468
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I don't have strong feelings either way about using cell phones on a plane; personally I probably wouldn't do it often and would feel self conscious with others able to hear my conversation. To avoid hearing other's conversations, I'd most likely just turn up the volume on my iPod...
But, if this rule change means I can use the data access on my cell phone, that I would STRONGLY favor! And I'd sure use it a lot...
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10-04-2005, 09:20 PM
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Sage
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 676
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I hope the rates will be as prohibitively expensive as the current air phone rates (e.g. $5/min roaming). Then few(er) people will use it.
But I'm all for WiFi on planes (as long as it isn't used for VoIP).
__________________
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10-04-2005, 10:35 PM
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Editorial Contributor
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 5,411
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Dyvim
I hope the rates will be as prohibitively expensive as the current air phone rates (e.g. $5/min roaming). Then few(er) people will use it.
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Not sure there is going to be a good way for them to charge for it at all. It's not like WiFi where you can be forced to enter credit card data before being allowed through a proxy server. Obviously it can be tied to your phone #, but if you have a no roaming, no long distance plan with your carrier, there will have to be some special provisions set up with all the carriers for the airline to bill them, and for them to "pass it on", outside your current contract I would think.
I'm assuming here the aircraft would have a mini-cell system that services the phones on board and trunks into the PSTN, not that each phone connects to a ground based tower.
__________________
Sometimes you are the anteater, sometimes you are the ant.
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10-04-2005, 10:48 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 54
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This may seem a little apples and oranges here, but they should not allow cell phone use on airplanes, as they prohibit cell phone use in theatres. The background noise (ever present) on a plane will require a raised voice conversation. It will be a distraction to all.
I think data could work (and if you are on VZW's $45 or $60 plan it should be included! bloodsuckers!) But I digress.
Mark
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10-04-2005, 10:51 PM
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Oracle
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 899
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Yeah IIRC the plane will have onboard mini cell "tower", then it communicates to ground via some other wireless signal or rf or something, I forget.
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10-04-2005, 11:11 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 31
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Perry Reed
I don't have strong feelings either way about using cell phones on a plane; personally I probably wouldn't do it often and would feel self conscious with others able to hear my conversation. To avoid hearing other's conversations, I'd most likely just turn up the volume on my iPod...
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You'd risk damaging your hearing to drown out the rude SOB sitting next to you? You're a better man than me. I get irritated by loud callers on buses/trains but at least you can move away; you're a captive audience on an aeroplane.
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10-05-2005, 12:43 AM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 73
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Hmmm... I sorta like the sounds of this? I'm a big talk-on-the-phone junkie, so this is great news for me. However, I am NOT looking forward to people locking themselves in the bathroom just so they can take a call privately.  ops:
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