FCC Considering Mobile Use on Planes

[Triumph]

I think at some point we will have full fledged mobile services on airplanes, which means we can enjoy multi-hour flights as the annoying traveling salesman next to us books his next deal, talks to his old fraternity buddy and calls his mistress and his wife and children in the course of the flight.

I can't wait!

THE FCC (Federal Communications Commission) is holding an auction for two licences to allow high-speed telecom services on planes.

According to Fortune magazine, the move is seen as a step towards allowing some form of mobile phone use on board aircraft.

The Federal Aviation Administration has traditionally banned the use of mobiles on aircraft, although it did allow United Airlines to test Wi-Fi in flight last year. The FCC also restricts the use of mobiles phones after takeoff, but is proposing to lift the ban so long as the phones are connecting to an antenna on the plane itself.

It seems that technology has worked a way around the bans on phones. Already while in flight, those who can afford interweb access are already using Skype to make phone calls.

It now seems that along with the terror of babies yowling for 28 hours on a flight to New Zealand, travellers will have to put up with grey suited businessmen shouting into their phones too.

http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=31905