08-31-2006, 04:00 AM
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Developer & Designer, News Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 12,959
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Qantas and Ryanair Adding In-Flight Calling
"Qantas said it would introduce new technology from early 2007, which will enable customers to make and receive emails, SMS and calls via their own mobile phone or personal electronic devices such as Blackberrys. Qantas Group General Manager of Customer Product and Services, Ms Lesley Grant, said the airline would evaluate the technology over a three-month period on a Boeing 767 aircraft operating on Australian domestic routes. "Qantas will be one of the first airlines in the world to offer this service." Ms Grant said Qantas' research indicated that customers were increasingly demanding the same range of services in the air as those available on the ground... Qantas has teamed with Telstra, Panasonic Avionics Corporation and AeroMobile in the evaluation, to bring about a solution that will allow appropriate communication devices to be safely used inflight and not interfere with the ground network."
So much for the "don't use your cellphone on the plane" argument. Both Qantas (Australian-based) and Ryanair (European-based) are gearing up to allow in-flight calling using personal handsets. I'll be making a domestic flight early next year, so assuming I'm on one of the evaluation flights, I'll get a chance to try it out. Your thoughts on in-flight calling? Pros? Cons?
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08-31-2006, 04:29 AM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 171
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Emails, SMS, MM exchanges, ok...
voice calls? sorry, my feelings are that callers in any confined spaces should "get a room"
Cabins are a close, closed, confined and captive space and cell calls intrude on the space of everyone within hearing range.
It's one more reason not to fly.
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08-31-2006, 04:44 AM
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Oracle
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 841
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Auckland - San Francisco: 12 hours. Trying to sleep while a chatter box can't keep the mouth shut, talking about the stupidiest things in the world: eternity!
:roll:
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08-31-2006, 06:31 AM
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5000+ Posts? I Should OWN This Site!
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 5,616
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Who's Ryan, and who sold him an airline?
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08-31-2006, 06:38 AM
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Thinker
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 484
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Re: Qantas and Ryanair Adding In-Flight Calling
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Darius Wey
So much for the "don't use your cellphone on the plane" argument.
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In my previous life I designed equipment for testing aircraft wiring systems. I can assure you that cell phones do not interfere with aircraft systems. The issue has always been an FCC requirement in that the cellular network was not designed to deal with hand-offs at 600mph. Also, when you are in the air, your signal forms a "cone" that covers many cells on the ground - greatly reducing the ability of the cellular system to support users on the ground. If there is a "micro-cell" located on the aircraft, then your phone will reduce it's power output to communicate with the local cell - thus eliminating the interference with the cells on the ground.
So from a technical side, this can work. But more importantly, our friend Bev is 100% right when he says this is really an issue of socially acceptable behavior (or in this case, the lack there of. :roll: ) My only hope is that the price that the airlines will charge for you to use their microcell (think "roaming fee") will be so high that the idea will flop like all the other "AirPhone" systems. :lol:
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08-31-2006, 07:03 AM
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Neophyte
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 7
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Noooooo......
cant you hear it now.....Hi I'm on the plane, will be there in 3 hours...of course, love you too honeyduckybunny...
Or the blow by blow account of how their s**t of a boyfriend/girlfriend said this and that.....
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08-31-2006, 07:22 AM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 193
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Not that talking on the phone is any different than talking to the person next to you...
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08-31-2006, 08:02 AM
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Neophyte
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 9
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by ctmagnus
Who's Ryan, and who sold him an airline?
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Ryanair is a low-fares airline that operates in Europe, who are primarily based in the UK / Ireland. Their service is a very basic one- you have to pay for everything on top of the flight, even for each item of luggage you check in! However, their fares are very low - a return flight from Dublin to London (an hour's flight each way) usually costs me no more than US$80 - including taxes! 
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08-31-2006, 01:06 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 359
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Quote:
cant you hear it now.....Hi I'm on the plane, will be there in 3 hours...of course, love you too honeyduckybunny...
Or the blow by blow account of how their s**t of a boyfriend/girlfriend said this and that.....
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Or the results of a colonoscopy just before that lovely airplane food is being served!
:evil:
I agree electronic useage is okay if its kept personal when it translates to voice (where some cell phone users yell into their phones) I still think it crosses a line.
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08-31-2006, 01:13 PM
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Sage
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 718
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Hmmm. That looks like an Airbus 380, that new double decker. It has Quantas markings and though they are going to be one of the first to get the new plane, I thought deliveries were still a year away. Unless they are just testing an already painted plane.
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