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In-flight mobiles coming to Europe
Author: Gareth HalfacreePublished: 9th April 2008
In-flight mobile use relies on the fitting of an on-board base station - but doesn't usually require dismantling the entire aircraft.
Having carried out extensive studies over a six month period, the EU has decided that a mobile connecting to a miniature base station located within the aircraft does not transmit at anything like the power levels required to cause important instrumentation to go screwy. Accordingly, it's happy to give its approval for Europe-wide rollout of in-flight mobile telephony.
The onboard base station won't be activated until the craft reaches approximately 10,000 feet – so no calls during takeoff or landing. Additionally, the captain will have the authority to deactivate the system should they see fit – although whether this is an option available for shutting up terminal yakkers remains to be seen.
Anyone who's found themselves urgently needing to make a call while cruising at 30,000 feet will be familiar with the on-board handsets currently offered by major airlines – you swipe your credit card through the handset and then proceed to make a call at per-minute pricing which makes hotel call rates look positively reasonable. Although the in-flight mobile base station means that you get to use your own handset, the pricing will still be set by the airline – although the EU is urging them to keep pricing at a sane level.
Because the technology requires hardware to be added to aeroplanes before punters can make in-flight calls, it's likely to be a fairly slow rollout. Each installation will need to get the thumbs up from the European Aviation Safety Agency before it'll be allowed to fly. Currently, the only European airlines talking about implementing the technology are Air France and Ryanair, both of whom are ready to submit their applications and start generating that little bit extra money from their customers.
Do you look forward to the day when you can make and receive calls in the air, or are you waiting on pricing information before you put the battery back in your handset? Share your thoughts over in the forums.
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Comments (17)
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It's bad enough on a train, but at least you have the option to go to a different carriage. On a plane, you're stuck where you're sitting.
Expect plane rage incidents to increase...:(
Mind you I can just turn my hearing aid off
this technology will let you make calls from the middle of the atlantic etc :p
That was because the aircraft was flying low over land which means one could get a signal. This technology is different where one can get a signal at 30,000ft using an onboard transceiver, one wouldn't be able to get a signal to a land-based base station when at 30,000ft or over the ocean.
EDIT: Damn beaten by Hamish.
You can bet that Ryanair will rinse people for the absolute last possible drop of cash, much as with every other 'extra' like, for example, checking a bag onto the aircraft, having a glass of water in-flight, or having the audacity to want to pay for your flights by credit card. £3 per minute here we come!
1. security and safety. will the signal disturb any of the plane's equipment? will having access to more comm networks become a hazard for flight security?
2. comfortability. flights usually covers long trips. in long trips people like to rest/undisturbed/sleep. people shouting while talking on the phone irks me enough even in outdoor. then u wanna bring that indoor, and even more so, into a confined space of a plane? on a bus u can move around, on trains u can walk around, wadaya gonna do on an airplane? insane.
just my $2.
Oh well there goes the last refuge from irritating twats twittering away about either the most inane shite imaginable or power business types banging on about fiscal policies and 10 year projections whilst you're trying to chill out on a flight. Still I'd imagine the worst flights would be the ones to and from lager lout destinations. Its bad enough on a train when you get folk who seem to find it necessary to talk long and loud about what seems to be their entire life history but it'll be worse on a plane.
I agree with the above comment about seeing a potential rise in air rage incidents, I find being cooped up in a big metal tube with the general public and nowhere to go bad enough (why do the general public seems to consist of nothing but idiots and retards?) but add in the "Hi, what?, No, I'm on a plane" line of conversation and it will be bordering on unbearable. Time to buy one of those gadgets I've heard about that blocks a mobile signal - unless of course that interferes with the aircraft systems as well.