Germany greenlights mobes on planes

By Jan Libbenga

Published Monday 4th July 2005 12:29 GMT

The German Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Housing will next year lift the ban on the use of mobile phones on commercial flights, according to German newsmagazine Focus. The German Aerospace Centre (DLR) says that mobile phone signals do not interfere with onboard electronics. Several European airlines say that they too are considering the removal of the in-flight ban on GSM phones.

Last year, the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) proposed lifting the ban on the use of GPRS, EDGE and 3G phones onboard. Initially, only the 1800 MHz variants would be allowed to use.

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In practice it means you no longer have to switch off your mobile phone, but full GSM access at 35,000 feet isn't technically feasible without some help.

Swedish vendor Ericsson recently announced its newly developed system GSM on Aircraft, an airborne version of the world's most sold radio base station in the RBS 2000 family, the RBS 2708. Its functionality matches terrestrial systems, according to the company. Airbus says it intends to equip its short and medium-range aircraft in the A320 series with mobile phone technology. ®

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could be bad news if this happens on Thai internal flights

I can't think of anything more uncomfortable than having the person next to me chatting away on their phone.

Or the thought of someones phone going off at full volume but they can't find it in their bag to answer it.

Messaging yes. Talking no.

I agree. It is a bloody awful idea

I'm sure aircraft avionics are of much better quality than my car radio but whilst my mobile phone continues to interfer with the radio on incoming calls or when moving into another cell I, for one, would not like to see them used on aircraft.

Edited July 5, 200521 yr by bdenner

I can't think of anything more uncomfortable than having the person next to me chatting away on their phone.

Absolutely. I think the prospect would be enough to make me choose another airline, actually.

Maybe they could have a little glass (soundproof) box for pathological talkers, sort of like a smoking room but for people with mobile phone abuse problems?

I can't think of anything more uncomfortable than having the person next to me chatting away on their phone.

Absolutely. I think the prospect would be enough to make me choose another airline, actually.

Maybe they could have a little glass (soundproof) box for pathological talkers, sort of like a smoking room but for people with mobile phone abuse problems?

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Yes I agree if they have a glass box to smoke and chat on the phone will be fine for me.

The smoko won't happen.

I imagine it will be like on some trains I've seen there will be a section for using mobiles. The general seating area won't be affected. I can imagine on one of those a380, 500 mobiles ringing. Otherwise they might be offering parachutes to those gone mad over mobile chatter.

knowing how thais like to gas on their phones you could be trapped next to a loud mouth for the entire domestic flight !!

we have all seen them when the flight lands instantly fire up their phones and start at it.

it will definatley cause friction , maybe we might even see fist fights between passengers when they wont pipe down.

i vote NO for this one..

The only noise that one should hear on a 12 hour from Blighty to Bangers is the sound of the ice melting in the glass.

The only noise that one should hear on a 12 hour from Blighty to Bangers is the sound of the ice melting in the glass.

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Agree completely.

The airline that continues to ban mobile phone use inflight after it has been legally allowed will get my business. I hope they install something to block the reception so they CANT be used inflight.

As a compromise, perhaps they could make a rule only to use SMS??

Naaah, on second thoughts it would be just as bad, those obnoxious beeping alerts would be going off every few seconds, and the flight attendants would be trying to ask the punters "What would you like to drink? etc" only to be ignored because everyone is texting away furiously on their phones.

It seems the only safe haven place away from mobile phones these days is in the plane. Let's keep it that way.

It will come - no doubt about it whether we like it or not.

And if they agree to allow use. What then? Is each plane going to tow a mobile phone pylon behind it or wot?

Edited July 5, 200521 yr by lampard10

It will come - no doubt about it whether we like it or not.

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You may be right. Pity