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The last sanctuary from the mobile phone won a partial reprieve last week as the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) ruled against allowing their use on aircraft.
Citing a lack of evidence to disprove the theory that airborne use of mobile phones would disrupt ground-based networks, the FCC upheld a 2004 ban, but added that it could “reconsider this issue at a later time if appropriate technical data is available”.
The EU, meanwhile, has yet to make up its mind on the licensing of mobile services on European flights. OnAir, a subsidiary of Airbus, has developed technology to allow passengers to use mobiles on planes, and that technology has been bought by airlines including BMI, TAP Air Portugal and Ryanair. Air France will begin the first trials in July, on short-haul flights to North Africa. But while engineers have been concentrating on creating a system that doesn’t interfere with in-flight navigation equipment, there is now a concern that planes full of chattering passengers could cause ground networks to crash as the calls “hand over” from one cell to another.
Sadly, it seems there’s a solution. “The handover problem occurs only at relatively low altitudes,” says Tom Wills-Sanford, of Intellect, the trade association for the UK’s high-tech industries. “We’ll simply ban the use of mobile phones below 10,000ft. Problem solved.”
So, it’s now only the small fact that passengers don’t want mobiles on planes. Will airlines take that into account? Probably not.
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Keep mobiles off public transport,you can hear the dependancy mobile user now,"Yeah I'm on a plane ,I'm just going to tuck into my food on the plastic tray." "Sorry I didn't catch that what am I having?" and this is conversation with the person whom has just left them at the Airport.Ban MOB's in line with the smoking ban and give the majority some peace.If the Govt.thinks of it as another forced tax selling the licences then we have no chance or asTony Blair said on Comic Relief "Am I Bothered"
Steve Green, Carlisle, England
Mobiles on flights will lead to more air rage purely because most of us seek escapism when we travel or holiday.I despair of trains these days as one cannot find peace even on Virgin's'(supposedly)'quiet coaches' for despite the signage/occasional voice over by the train manager I have yet to see a member of staff ever enforce the no mobiles ruling.During train journeys lasting 5 hours this past year I have taken great pleasure in reminding passengers to refrain from using them.Their ignorance insults me.Luckily network coverage does not always allow continous one sided conversations conveying:'The reception is bad/I am on the train!/We will be 10 mins late,10 minutes..TENNN minutes! ''I have yet to ever sleep on a train but on long flights over time zones I would expect to.I could not ask a fellow(annoying)passenger to step inside the hold to make a call could I?So us silent fuming minority would simmer and then boil over.''I'm just landing now/flying over Malaga/LOOK UP,CAN U SEE ME?
KLEIN SHORT, MANCHESTER, UK