February 11, 2009 5:09 PM
FCC May Drop Plan To Lift Plane Phone Ban
The chairman of the Federal Communications Commission says the agency is considering dropping a proposal that would have lifted the ban on in-flight cell phone use.
The commission began considering removal of the ban in late 2004.
FCC Chairman Kevin Martin told reporters after a board meeting Thursday that the wireless telecommunications industry indicated in recent comments to the FCC that mobile phone calls in flying planes would interfere with their networks on the ground.
"The record was still unclear as to whether it would create interference, so at this time it doesn't make as much sense to go forward," Martin told reporters.
An airline representative greeted the FCC's decision with ambivalence.
Tim Wagner, of American Airlines, told The New York Times he was worried about the "social implications," and that cell phone use might be more tolerable if it were reserved for certain areas of the plane or portions of the flight.
Two agencies claim regulatory jurisdiction over the issue. The FCC is focused on whether in-flight calling interferes with ground-based networks, while the Federal Aviation Administration considers safety issues.
Both agencies would have to approve lifting the ban for passengers to be able legally to make calls while in-flight, an FCC spokeswoman said.
The commission began considering removal of the ban in late 2004.
FCC Chairman Kevin Martin told reporters after a board meeting Thursday that the wireless telecommunications industry indicated in recent comments to the FCC that mobile phone calls in flying planes would interfere with their networks on the ground.
"The record was still unclear as to whether it would create interference, so at this time it doesn't make as much sense to go forward," Martin told reporters.
An airline representative greeted the FCC's decision with ambivalence.
Tim Wagner, of American Airlines, told The New York Times he was worried about the "social implications," and that cell phone use might be more tolerable if it were reserved for certain areas of the plane or portions of the flight.
Two agencies claim regulatory jurisdiction over the issue. The FCC is focused on whether in-flight calling interferes with ground-based networks, while the Federal Aviation Administration considers safety issues.
Both agencies would have to approve lifting the ban for passengers to be able legally to make calls while in-flight, an FCC spokeswoman said.
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