All Posts Tagged With: "Airline"

In-flight Mobile Phone Use Begins in Europe

April 18th, 2008 • John • 0 comments • Related • Filed Under

On April 2, Air France began offering voice calls on one of its jets on a trial basis, and BMI of Britain and TAP of Portugal plan to do the same.

Although U.S. airlines have shunned the service, Ryanair, Europe’s largest low-cost airline, is so confident mobile phoning will prove popular that it plans to start offering it in June without even bothering with a trial.

With the Air France trial, passengers only learn about the possibility of using their phone once they are on the plane. An announcement refers them to an instruction card in the seat pocket.

They are told to switch off their phones during take-off and landing – and a special icon has been added next to the seatbelt sign to indicate when phones can be turned on.

[...]

The technology being tested by Air France links passenger phones to an onboard network connected to the ground via satellite. OnAir, the supplier, said transmission levels are low enough to avoid affecting the safety of aircraft equipment.

OnAir is an Airbus joint venture based in Geneva and one of two companies that are offering the technology, along with AeroMobile, a British joint venture with the Norwegian telephone company Telenor.

The system being tested by Air France uses an onboard base station in the plane – called a pico cell – which communicates with passengers’ own handsets. Though low power, the pico cell, located in a compartment normally used for hand luggage, creates a network encompassing the cabin of the plane.

The base station routes phone traffic to and from the plane to a satellite which beams down to mobile networks on the ground. Meanwhile the control unit on the plane ensures that mobiles do not connect to any base stations on the ground – as is technically possible when a plane is flying below 10,000 feet.

Source: International Herald Tribune

Mobile Phone Use on Flights Approved by EU

April 8th, 2008 • John • 0 comments • Related • Filed Under

The European Union on Monday opened the way for air travelers to use mobile phones to talk, text or send e-mails on planes throughout Europe’s airspace.Midair service may be available as soon as this year on some airlines for passengers using European GSM technology. The United States and many other countries ban mobile devices in the air because of concern they could disrupt a plane’s instruments.

Under the plan approved Monday, cell phone users could make and receive calls through an onboard base station. They will be allowed to turn their phones on after the plane reaches 10,000 feet, when other electronic devices such as portable music players and laptops are permitted.

The EU regulation sets a common standard by which passengers can use mobile phones during flights and airlines will only need to get one license that will apply across the entire 27-nation bloc.

The equipment airlines install must be approved by the European Aviation Safety Agency to ensure the onboard cellular network will not conflict with other in-flight systems.

Selmayr, the EU spokesman, said the phone service will not be available during takeoff, landing or during turbulence. He said the captain and crew of the plane can determine when the system is shut down. Networks would also prevent linkages to ground-based cell stations, providing added security for the flight.

“It doesn’t mean you can leave your mobile phones switched on now during the flight, we have to make that absolutely clear,” Selmayr said. “First wait what your airline tells you when you board the plane. Until further notice the usual reminders to switch off your mobile phone on the aircraft will remain in place.”

Most services that are being rolled out this year are being provided by OnAir, a unit of planemaker Airbus.