FCC Cancels Flight Of Cell Phones
from the silence dept
As was previously expected, the FCC has decided not to lift a ban on the use of mobile phones on airplanes. It says there's still insufficient evidence that in-flight use, even with onboard base stations, wouldn't interfere with networks on the ground. But it's also likely the Commission was responding to the overwhelming amount of public comment against lifting the ban. The FAA is still examining the issue of how phones and other electronic devices interfere with planes' navigational and communications equipment, but without FCC approval, those results don't really matter. It's likely that the technical issues can be overcome -- but the fact remains that plenty of people don't want to get stuck in the confines of an economy-class seat next to somebody jabbering away on their phone for hours at a time.
Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.
While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.
–The Techdirt Team
Reader Comments
Subscribe: RSS
View by: Time | Thread
Technical Data
I'm just as happy that cell phone use is not allowed on flights
[ link to this | view in thread ]
2¢
Give them some earplugs then. Perhaps they should bring along an MP3 player for the flight... What is the matter with people who for some reason cannot stand to hear only one side of a conversation?
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: 2¢
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: 2¢
[ link to this | view in thread ]
[ link to this | view in thread ]
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Some people just don't get it
Once in a while, you'd get some fat assed lawyer with a big mouth, but for years I managed a restaurant and our regular customers had cell phones going back to around 1990. The noise was never a problem because you couldn't hear them from one table to the next.
The biggest mistake society ever made was causing cell phones to be made affordable to the masses. It was a technological step forward and ten societal steps backward. Now people on welfare can afford cell phones, and when that happens in a first-world nation, something has gone terribly wrong.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: 2¢
I'm tired of giving in to a few squeeky wheels. An overwhelming majority of people do not want cell phones allowed on planes because of the inconsiderate users.
I think this decision is awesome. I'm throwing a party this weekend!
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: 2¢
They've got this crazy disease where listening to idiots chatter at high volume about jack shit makes them angry.
Maybe we can force them to wear late night CIA extradition black bags on their heads? The nerve of those people...
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Cry a river and build a bridge...
Or, you know, you could ask me to please stop singing-- or stop being so loud on my cell phone. We don't need a government agency to force us to do what should be common courtesy.. especially since a simple polite request should solve the problem.
Learn to play well with others without the big bad government making you. Sheesh.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: 2¢
Let me know when you ride a city bus next; I've got a nice boombox to sit behind you with that NO noise canceling headphones can negate.
Your rights to free speech end where my rights to ignore them end; thusly I don't have to find a way to ignore you in a library since you're SUPPOSED to STFU nor should it be my responsibility to find such on an airplane. If you're on the street or in a public building with no such restrictions, it's all fair game; otherwise if I'm forced to sit where I do, then you're also forced to keep your speech to yourself.
I'd bet that you'd complain if someone next to you in a theatre was talking on their cellphone.... Why would it be any different?
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Mr. White did it in the airplane with a dumb law.
I'm not saying that cell phones on flights is a good idea, I'm saying that using the FCC to prevent it isn't the right way to do it.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
It's Not Just A Few Bad Apples
United Airlines allows use of cell phones after touchdown, and it is the norm for a few annoying conversations to fire up right away. Funny how 150 people could sit in the plane carrying out some dozens of conversations during the entire flight, yet none are so loud and invasive as the cell calls. But it happens that way.
I'm OK with that United Air policy, since it's just the short time on taxi, and people have logistical issues to work out when they fly. But I'm glad I don't have to endure it for the whole flight.
And I don't want to take on the role of "polite police" and tell 10 people per flight to be quiet. Those suggestions (from other comments) are like saying "Let's get rid of the police, and just ask the burglars politely to stop robbing us". Guess what...it's not something I want to to myself. Like I also don't grow my own wheat. Turns out that a society is like a system, and there are rules, roles, and mores.
As for the technical explanation of why the FCC is avoiding cell phone use in the air, see the 2003 Techdirt post:
http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20030428/1645207_F.shtml
...where my comments were:
"
The key reason that in-flight cellular use is banned is that it disrupts the cellular network.
The network was designed as terrestrial, with 2-D cells laid across the surface of the earth. As the network is laid out on the ground in cells, the frequencies are re-used by towers and customers in non-adjacent cells. That means that you can be in Hoboken using your cellphone on channel x, while another cellular user is in Harlem also talking on channel x. Even on the same frequency, because of the distance, your phone on the ground in Hoboken does not interfere with the phone in Harlem. Now imagine you are in a plane 15,000 ft over Manhattan. Your signal is equally strong in Harlem and Hoboken. This destroys the geographic frequency re-use of the cellular network, and as you know, frequency spectrum is a rare resource in this industry. Simply put, airplane-based cellular use does not fit the design of our current cellular networks.
The 9/11 calls are perfect examples. Yes, some calls worked some of the time, but in an unreliable, low quality way. We've all heard the 911 tapes: failed handoffs and dropped calls were the order of the day.
Lastly, there is a possibility that the carriers have a hard time managing, and thus billing for these calls. That's a big no-no to for-profit companies.
If you research, you will find that because it is bad for the communications industry, the FCC is the agency that disallows use of cell phones on planes, NOT the FAA (although your cabin crew usually states the opposite). There is no FAA regulation against such phone use, but it is airline policy.
I don't believe for a second that Blackberrys, cell phones, or even the more powerful signals of WiFi can disrupt a plane in flight, but they can disrupt a cellular network. If I believed that a cellular was capable of taking down a plane, I would take the bus, because there are always a few phones that were mistakenly left on.
That said, I think the FCC should get a law against people who think they need to yell into their cell phone before we even consider allowing use on planes. Ay caramba, the darned cabin crew and pilot's announcements are loud and annoying enough, I don't want to have to listen to someone's half-conversation too!
www.kertongroup.com
[ link to this | view in thread ]
So WiFi + headset + Skype has the same effect. I suppose less people will do that, meaning that less people will be bothered, but I'm very confused why Cell phones = bad, Wifi = good.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
[ link to this | view in thread ]
no manners
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Cry a river and build a bridge...
> agency to force us to do what
> should be common courtesy
I agree. The government shouldn't be doing it but the airlines should. As private businesses, they have every right to set rules of behavior on their planes and since the overwhelming majority of their customers seem to favor keeping the cabins cell-phone free, then the airlines should keep the policy.
But your right, it's not the government's place to be regulating common courtesy.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Develop a small transmitting device that jams cell phone signals within 5 feet or at least causes terrible static. Make it small enough that I can slip it into my pocket and can turn it on at will. Sell it on the black market or post the instructions on how to build one on the internet.
Honestly, if it were available commercially, I'd pay $50 - $100 for one of those in a heart beat.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re:
You guys act like you will be in a movie when these people will be on the phone. You are on a noisy airplane, who cares? If you dont like it, bring an mp3 player. Its not like you havent had to deal with people on thier phones in restaraunts or other places for the past 10 years. It just a couple hour plane flight get over it.
--NO-- You get over it. It's just a couple hour plane flight. YOU can do without the phone. I don't find planes noisy...I find loudmouths who can't keep their voices down noisy. Just WHERE in the world did you learn your manners?
And what is so damned important that you would sacrifice courtesy and respect for the person sitting elbow to elbow with you in order to talk on the cell phone?
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re:
Obviously you've never even been on a plane, let alone actually flown. Let's paint a picture you can understand.
Image that you've been stuffed into an empty Red Bull can along with [ Michael Moore | Ann Coulter ] and you can't get out for 4 hours. That begins to approach the problem at hand. Only we need to include the recirculating odor of diarrhea every 15 minutes for the duration.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: 2¢
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Is it age related?
People under the age of 25 and especially those under the age of 21 have grown up with cell phones in their hands. They probably don't even hear the idiot next to them who is yelling into a cell phone. If they do, it's a noise they can accept and deal with, because this is the only world they know. I would take a guess and say that the pro cell phones in planes people here are all very young.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: cell phone jammers
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: 2¢
How about you not talk on the phone? Cell phones are an annoyance and they certainly aren't a right. If you were sitting next to me on a plane, talking on your phone and I took out my iPod and a set of speakers (not headphones) and started playing music you would get pissed off. Why? Because you don't want to listen to it - just like we don't want to listen to your damn phone conversation.
It is NO different. I don't have the right to bother you just like you don't have the right to bother me and talking on your phone will bother me. You don't have the RIGHT to bother me just like I don't have the right to bother you.
You or anyone else who feels compelled to disrespect others by jabbering on their phones in public need to realize that you all aren't the only people in the world - contrary to what you believe. You all are also not that important that it is ok to annoy everyone else. Seriously. You aren't.
It is that simple.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Irrational
Now, have the conversation the same volume and make it one person talking on a cell phone. Why does this suddenly become the cause for the downfall of society? Is this cellphone magic somehow and causes people to lose their minds? A cell phone is an inanimate object. It has no inherent goodness or evilness on its own. If someone is being a jerk, they are being a jerk....the fact that they are holding a cell phone doesn't make one bit of difference.
Maybe if the anti-cellphone crowd would just admit they are nosey and hate missing out on half the conversation I would respect their position a little more.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Irrational
It's a false assumption to think that cell phone users have a conversation on a phone at the same volume as they do when speaking to someone next to them. The large population of what you call the "anti-cellphone crowd" is testiment to this happing.
If 2 people are having a loud conversation that bothers me and I will say something. Unfortunately, if you say something on a plane and the other party is offended, then you are stuck in the uncomfortable situation of having to sit next to them for the next 3 hours.
If you and every other person who wants to use cell phones on a plane PROMISE to whisper when you're on the phone, then I would support cell phones on planes as long as you kept your promise.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Irrational
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Irrational
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Irrational
> irrational I can't understand it.
For me, it's not the hatred of the phone per se, but this attitude among so many people now that these ridiculous little devices are absolutely essential for life, and that any time they are asked to turn it off or stop using it, you might as well be asking them to slice off their right arm or stop breathing.
Cell phones truly are the crack cocaine of the 21st century. People refuse to stop using them even when it's polite and appropriate and they are repeatedly asked to do so. I no longer go to movies in theaters any more in large part because of the incessant cell phone use that goes on from the moment the film starts right on through to the end credits. Even when people aren't actively talking on them, they're checking their voice mail, sending and receiving text messages and even playing games (all of which can be even more annoying than talking because those little LCD screens shine like beacons in a dark movie theater).
It's gotten so bad that a California theater chain bought signal jammers and installed them in their movie houses. When people found out about it, based on their reaction, you'd think the theater had tried to sell their children on the black market or something equally horrendous.
Amazingly enough, 20 years ago, people somehow managed to go out to the movies, to concerts, to restaurants and even on extended vacations with no cell phones tying them into an instantaneous communication grid every second of the day.
Now you ask them to turn the phone off for 90 minutes in a movie theater or 2 hours on a plane and you get a look of stricken abject horror and fevered protestations about the "right" to have a phone on standby at all times.
> If 2 people are having a conversation
> loudly next to you...do you say
> anything?
If it's loud and disturbing and inappropriate for the venue, sure I do.
> Now, have the conversation the same
> volume and make it one person
> talking on a cell phone.
And here's the flaw in your reasoning. Rarely are cell phone conversations held "at the same volume" as in-person face-to-face conversations.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Typical picture
STFU for a while, you're not so important that the rest of world can't survive without your yakk for a couple of hours.
The day that cell phones or VOIP can be used on airplanes is the last day I fly anywhere. The f-ing airplanes are torture enough without a dozen loud mouths yammering away.
As far as earplugs, music players, etc. -- too bad, they don't work, especially at 6:00 AM when I need to sleep.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Cellphones
Make it illegal to use in cars ,restaurants and movies.Period!
Bravo on this decision!
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Cellphones
It can't be that hard to block just VOIP apps, and with Data services people can still yammer on for hours over MSN Messenger, AIM and the like. Course, you'll get the click-click-click of keyboards. But that's ignoreable.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
wifi
[ link to this | view in thread ]