Ofcom gives cellphone use on planes the big thumbs way, way up
Prepare to be annoyed -- well maybe prepare to prepare to be annoyed is more fitting -- as Ofcom, the UK telecom regulator thinks flying and talking is fine for UK-registered aircraft. The technology will rely on a pico cell on the aircraft -- that's activated once the plane passes through 10,000 feet -- that links you up to the rest of the telecom world via satellite. Of course, (un)fortunately roadblocks still exist, as any airlines that want on board will need to have any equipment installed on aircraft checked out by the European Aviation Safety Agency. We love all things cell, as some may have noticed, but we shudder a wee bit at the prospect of being stuck next to a loud talker for a long-haul international red-eye. Non-talking section anybody?
[Via textually.org]
[Via textually.org]
Filed under: Handsets
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
YoJIMbo @ Mar 30th 2008 4:44PM
"HEY!!! CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW????"
Sadly, yes, yes we can...
Dave @ Mar 30th 2008 8:12PM
Thank God for the FCC just deciding to not approach this issue for a while. The day the American public can talk during flights is the day I will start bringing earplugs and popping 2-3 Ambien before each flight I take.
johnmc @ Mar 31st 2008 12:33AM
That'd be in the US. In the UK, it's more like: "HELLO! WHAT? NO, I'M ON A PLANE!".
galla @ Mar 30th 2008 11:28PM
Last I flew, I couldn't here anything. So how am I supposed to hear someone off a cell phone I can barely hear here. But why should I care, I fly south west and they seem to cheap to put this stuff on their planes.
Dave @ Mar 30th 2008 11:59PM
touche
youngcalihottie @ Mar 31st 2008 8:40AM
i hope we do NOT allow this is the US
youngcalihottie @ Mar 31st 2008 8:56AM
in the US it would be like:
"Hello? What? No, I'm on a plane. I can call the office and have someone over there re-send it. Hold on, I have another call. Hello? What hunny? No, I said she cannot go to that party! Well I don't care if there were going to be a million adults watching them! Hold on, let me get off the other line. Hello? Ok, sorry about that. I'll have it sent over in a few minutes. Talk to you later. Bye. Hello? Ok, as I was saying, she can't go! Put her on the line. Hey, didn't we already discuss this? You are not going. If you go I'm turning off your cell phone and taking your car keys for a month. Oh yes I will! I don't know, you'll just have to walk to school like you did for the 10 years before that. Well I've told you what will happen so do what you will if you dare. I have to go I have another call. Hello? Oh good I was just about to call you. I need you to send the files again because they didn't get them. Ya, I'm still on the plane. We just barely reached 10000 feet. I still have another two hours to go. I can't believe they made me go. Anyone else could have done this trip. I'm too busy to be wasting time in the air. I know, I'm glad my new blackberry has 4 hours of talk time. Should last the whole flight, hopefully. So what happened after that arguement last week... ..."
lol
youngcalihottie @ Mar 31st 2008 10:01AM
that was a reply to johnmc. for some reason my replies dont work. they show up as new posts :(