Airplane cellphone ban

The chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, Kevin Martin, is proposing that the organization continue its long-standing ban on in-flight cellphone calls, says USA Today. Most of the FCC's commissioners are said to support Martin's position. While a lifting of the ban was proposed back in 2004, support has since lost momentum, mainly due to a lack of interest from wireless companies and the public.

Technical problems have persisted as well: hardware developed by AirCell was to have prevented intereference with ground calls, but initial tests failed, and the company is now retooling its product. Moreover, the Federal Aviation Administration has only recently begun testing the effect of cellphones on navigation equipment, the most frequently cited reason for the ban's existence. Some are also supporting it not because of safety concerns, but because of the noise and distraction cellphones might cause. The ban is only likely to be overturned in the near future if this year's planned European deployment proves successful.

By Electronista Staff