FCC Approves In-Flight Calls, But Will it Really Happen?

Since the FCC made the decision that in-flight cell phone use wouldn’t interfere with the plane’s ability to navigate, the debate began. Should we really allow people on their cell phones while on the place? Should we just ban voice calls? There are so many questions surrounding this decision, but many people who believed it was impossible to make phone calls thousands of feet in the air are wondering if cell phone use is really feasible. The Wall Street Journal explained that, “If airlines wanted to allow in-flight calls, they would have to invest in expensive technology called a picocell, which is an onboard base station that connects fliers’ mobile devices to satellites or cell towers on the ground. Airlines have said they would be hesitant to invest in more connectivity hardware for their aircraft, as most carriers have already spent millions of dollars to install onboard Wi-Fi systems to connect fliers to the Internet.” A few wireless consultants are skeptical that that the bigger airlines would invest in this technology, but a smaller company might in order to differentiate itself from its competition. Early polls seemed to reflect that other passengers are not interested in listening to their seatmate’s cell phone conversations in flight.