Cellphones Allowed On Airliners In Two Years?

SteveC

SteveC

"Laconic"
Staff member
Article in AvWeb:

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In a couple of years, you could be happily chatting on your cell phone at 30,000 feet -- or ready to throttle the guy in the next seat who natters away on the thing for the whole flight. Technology is coming to the rescue of one of the great telecommunications conundrums of the wireless age but airlines are wondering if the additional blood-pressure factor in the already tension-prone confines of the aluminum tube is worth the trouble. And it looks like American Airlines, which conducted a live test of the system with passengers in July, is ready to lead the charge. "A circle of mobility defines how people want to work and live today," Monte Ford, a senior VP with the airline, told The New York Times. "But it's critically important that this technology be utilized in the proper way." The technology involves two innovative approaches to solving both the potential interference problems cell signals pose for airliner navigation systems and the fears that cellphone signals raining down from above will overwhelm the land-based transmitter system. Each aircraft would have its own cell site, turning the cabin into a hot spot. Aircell's proposed system would transmit the signals to ground-based towers for distribution. Qualcomm proposes using satellites for collection and distribution of the signals. As daunting as the technical challenges might be, keeping the peace between the talkative and their seatmates might not be so easy and could result in segregated areas or time limits on calls. The American Airlines test revealed some of what might lie ahead. "The moment we gave out the cellphones, they all started yelling," Ford told the Times.

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Please not............ /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
 
Hello Steve,

They could always turn one of the lavs into a "cell phone booth" (the only place where your cell phone would get a signal). Or perhaps, like in the old days, they could have assigned seating. Or better yet, put the "Cone of Silence" back into action!
csilence1.jpg


Long Live the Chief,

JR
 
I'd certainly be in favor of a 'cellphone free' zone.

A lot of the trains in Europe have cellphone-free areas so you can rest and not have to listen to someone loudly talking about Jimmy's boil.
 
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I'd certainly be in favor of a 'cellphone free' zone.

A lot of the trains in Europe have cellphone-free areas so you can rest and not have to listen to someone loudly talking about Jimmy's boil.

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Agree! How irritating to be on some long flight with a chatty cathy or freddy on either side. I could definitely see some confrontations. On the other hand, it's clear that many would see this as a long overdue service.

Hmmm. Maybe it will all work out.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
 
It's going to be crazy.

Imagine a packed 757 with 183 passengers, 183 cellular telephones ringing and 183 people trying to talk over one another.
 
Now, I've gotta say that I'm in favor of it. I've been over the whole "it might cause interference...it happened to my Captain's IOE check airman's instructor's DPE once..." thing. Sure, it could happen from time to time, but it's not likely.

Alot of folks don't like people talking on Cell Phones near them. I say, "oh, well." I don't like listening to people have conversations in front of me anyway. The reason folks don't like cell phone users is because they can only hear one side of the conversation.

So, I say Kudo s to AA for finally moving into the 80's.
 
Ive been thinking about that. Why is it so much more annoying to hear someone sitting on a bus, starting into space, talking on a phone, then it is to hear two people chatting? I think people on cell phones talk louder.
 
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Now, I've gotta say that I'm in favor of it. I've been over the whole "it might cause interference...it happened to my Captain's IOE check airman's instructor's DPE once..." thing. Sure, it could happen from time to time, but it's not likely.

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Are you on crack?
How do you feel about cell phones in movie theaters? Personally, I would like them thrown out. It has nothing to do with hearing one side of the conversation. I don't want to hear EITHER side of someones conversation. Just like I don't want someone listening to mine.

Personal experience?
Yes, I have seen laptops disconnect autopilots.
Yes, I hear the static in the radios every time a two way pager or cell phone transmits.

I'm sure airlines will have shielded wiring and transmitters to reduce/eliminate interference, but this is the STUPIDEST idea I have heard. How about making a profit or feed your customers before you worry about there phone calls. Besides, most airliners have phones in the seats anyway. Have you EVER seen one used? I ride 60 times per year in the back and have NEVER seen one used.

Talking on cell phones in confined public places is tacky.
I can hear it now, 183 people in the back of the plane all saying, "YOU'LL NEVER GUESS WHERE I'M CALLING FROM..........YEA, HAHAHAHAHA CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW........THAT'S FUNNY"

It's sorta funny when a pax whips out his cell phone at 41,000 feet and wonders why he can't get a signal....from 8 miles away.
 
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I think people on cell phones talk louder.

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Remember when you were a Senior in HS, you could always pick out the Sophomores that just got their drivers license? You know, the ones spinning their keys on their fingers, thinking they were cool.

People talking discreetly are fine. It's the ones that walk around in circles, or beside you in a restaurant that raise their voices the minute they get on the phone that are annoying. Yea, yea, your cool, you have a cell phone......just like everyone else. now go outside.
 
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How do you feel about cell phones in movie theaters? Personally, I would like them thrown out. It has nothing to do with hearing one side of the conversation. I don't want to hear EITHER side of someones conversation. Just like I don't want someone listening to mine.

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Preach on, brotha! Although I do like the "Inconsiderate Cel Phone Man" commercials before the movies. If I hear your cel phone ring in the theatre, you're getting Milk Dudded in the back of the head (or face relative to where I'm sitting). If you ANSWER it, it's full on beat down. Anyone seen the commercial where the moms are all argueing about where their kids are, and they CALL all three of them at the movies. The kids then ANSWER the phone? It's cool to keep tabs on your kids and stuff, but a text message works, too. I'd take the basketball from the one kids and start playing dodgeball with the other two.

Now onto airplanes..... The other night my wife and I were trying to pass the great news that we were parents-to-be as quickly as we could. So we were both on our cel phones. Wanna know what happend? We both inadvertantly kept raising our voices to compete with each other. Guess what's gonna happen on an airplane where it's sorta hard to hear anyway?
 
Great. Just great. Now we get to hear someone rattle off his honey dos on a plane, or someone give them to him. Lovely.

I'll have to start travelling internationally, I guess! No cell service over the Atlantic or Pacific, right? A cell phone free zone, woo hoo!

Hey, Steve, you want my cat for President? Cool, I'll tell him.
 
MarineNav! YES! I agree it should be limited to text messaging...or how about they keep the cell phone rule as is, and allow internet access?

Or have a little keyboard fold away from the back of the seat, and the LCD screen used for flight tracking/DirecTV can be converted to a screen that allows the passenger to utilize any one of a few popular instant messaging services...They could press enter or something to get the screen to change over to more computer-like, hehe....maybe they can check e-mail, too. AOL Instant Messenger, Yahoo Messenger, MSN Messenger would be some of the messaging options.

I really do think the cell phone use in the confined area is obnoxious. I almost got my ass kicked for having a loud laptop once. I can't imagine masses of people yapping away while I'm trying to relax, or listen to what the crew is saying sometimes. GAR!! I think my blood pressure just shot up.
 
Hello Cristl,

Right you are! Now if only the seatback internet access had a slot for a USB thumb drive or Compact Flash card. It'd be neat to be able to update ones website, download utilities, pix, tunes, etc. Hey, I can dream, can't I? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Happy Landings,

JR
 
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Now, I've gotta say that I'm in favor of it. I've been over the whole "it might cause interference...it happened to my Captain's IOE check airman's instructor's DPE once..." thing. Sure, it could happen from time to time, but it's not likely.

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Are you on crack?
How do you feel about cell phones in movie theaters?


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Hate them in theaters...but an airplane isn't a theater!!

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Personal experience?
Yes, I have seen laptops disconnect autopilots.
Yes, I hear the static in the radios every time a two way pager or cell phone transmits.


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But this new system will be tested, and will cut down on the possibility of inteference. Would it be OK them??

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I'm sure airlines will have shielded wiring and transmitters to reduce/eliminate interference, but this is the STUPIDEST idea I have heard. How about making a profit or feed your customers before you worry about there phone calls.


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My airline of choice has been making a profit for over 20 years straight... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

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Besides, most airliners have phones in the seats anyway. Have you EVER seen one used? I ride 60 times per year in the back and have NEVER seen one used.


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I used one once...but refuse to pay that kind of money to use the phone anymore.

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Talking on cell phones in confined public places is tacky.


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So are baseball caps....but some folks still choose to wear them!
 
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I might use a flitefone if it was FREE

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Yep....they can keep their crappy service for the price they charge, though!
 
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Hate them in theaters...but an airplane isn't a theater!!


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Yea, planes are WORSE! There are more people and they're closer together. In a theater, you can move farther away from the jerk, or walk out. Hard to walk out of an airliner.

Also, in a theater, you are usually beside someone you like.
 
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Hard to walk out of an airliner.

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I've heard once you get the door open, it's easier. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
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