Comments on: Why Can’t I Use My Cell Phone On An Airplane?

By: Logan

Logan — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 11:00:00 +0000

Many of the European airlines were looking at offering cell service during flights, and I believe the first airline to contract the service is Air Emirates (Middle Eastern airline).

This was a couple years ago, so I’m curious if the program went forward and how people responded. (The idea was to have a sender/receiver on the plane, and the time would be billed through it in connection with the major cell phone carriers in Europe).

By: anson

anson — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 07:41:00 +0000

the cellphone ban appears reasonable, if only for the comfort of everyone else crammed on the plane; however, i’m truly offended that laptop and ipod use is prohibited. These forms of electronics are not only incapable of interfering with the plane’s systems, they face none of the issues connected with cellphones as well.

and yet, we are nonsensical instructed to put away the very electronics that make us not care about our lack of leg room and sardine-like state. That needs to be changed.

By: Dale

Dale — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 06:40:00 +0000

If someone were talking next to me on a flight, I would ask them questions about their conversation. If they ever do lift the ban, there will be violence.

By: Wireless Insider

Wireless Insider — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 01:03:00 +0000

I was a part of the industry planning and policy setting groups during 2007 regarding Airborne use. There is some pretty good spin in the article.

“A 2007 plan to lift the ban was strongly opposed by cell carriers for this reason.”

AT&T/Cingular, Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile, and Sprint were all active participants in the planning and policy discussions while the auction for the down-link spectrum was still going on.

It wasn’t until after the big-4 lost the spectrum auction to Aircell and Jet Blue that the “interference problems” cropped up.

While ground interference was indeed the reason that the ban was initially put in place, those problems were an issue with the high-wattage analog systems from long ago.

Digital systems run with much less power, the mobile devices have the capability to have power output controlled by the base station. Other active systems can shield any emissions to the point where they really have no effect on the ground systems.

Today, only the on-board Wi-Fi systems are using the downlink spectrum.

By: Michele

Michele — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 23:59:00 +0000

so how bout the hospital rule…how come patients and visitors aren’t supposed to use cell phones because of fear of interference with hospital gadgets, yet the staff run around chattering away on cells?

By: Jenipher

Jenipher — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 20:04:00 +0000

I really enjoy the break from my phone….I hope they never change the law. I’d really hate to have to sit there and listen to one side of other people’s conversations….especially when there wouldn’t be anywhere else for me to get away….

By: James

James — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 17:43:00 +0000

Cel phones are the newest addictive drug. It kills brain cells, it kills ‘common’ sense, causing the addicts to have to check their phones every other minute, especially noticeable in the dark of a theater, where the piercing, blinding bright blue light is like a cocaine fix.

The flight from HNL to OGG is 20 minutes long –that’s it, 20 minutes– but watch all the cel phones flip open in the cabin once the plane’s landing gear hits the tarmac. The addicted can’t help but yap or text, it’s been a whole 20 minutes since their last fix, it’s truly a disease.

By: Janet

Janet — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 15:58:00 +0000

Agreed. I think the ban should exist if only to prevent inconsiderate people from yapping the entire flight.

By: inquiring minds

inquiring minds — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 15:44:00 +0000

Maybe you can do a second take on this re: why people are allowed to gab on phones while the aircraft is taxiing to the gate, but everything else (non-radio emitters) is prohibited.

By: nutmeag

nutmeag — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 15:11:00 +0000

I, for one, am glad for the no phone rule on planes. Can you imagine how loud flights would be if everyone was on their phone the whole time?